The Crown of Neverwinter
by Grounders10
Summary: Thirty years ago Nodoka ran away from home. For thirty years she has tried to forget what she left behind. To forget what she was told was destiny. Ranma has always seen his mother as a just a homemaker, that changes when a Wizard shows up on their doorsteps looking for Nodoka. Warning: Locked Ranma
1. Chapter 1

The act of washing dishes was calming to Nodoka Saotome. The repetitive nature of cleaning bowls, plates, and pots was relaxing after the usual chaos that tended to engulf the Tendo Dojo. Today's chaos had involved a rather large, and rather irritable, turtle. Most turtles were not, as she knew from experience, capable of walking up walls or eating steel. This had not been most turtles.

Still, that little adventure was over with and the only thing left was to clean up from the short spat of chaos. Which was why Nodoka was washing dishes alone for once, without the company of the eldest Tendo. Kasumi was busy trying to remove turtle prints from the furo ceiling… and the hallway ceilings, and walls… and most of the other rooms as well. In truth the reason Nodoka found washing dishes so relaxing is because it was perhaps the only bit of cleaning that did not eventually involve something strange.

Washing turtle prints off ceilings was far too reminiscent of her younger days for her liking. She much preferred to forget most of those days.

As she was drying the last pot there was a soft 'thud thud thud' from the front door. Setting aside the dishcloth she shouted, "I'll get the door." as she heard Kasumi hurriedly setting down her mop into the bucket.

"Thank you, Auntie." The eldest Tendo sister called back. The squish of a mop being wrung out followed immediately afterwards.

Nodoka adjusted her hair as she walked towards the door. She tucked a few errant red strands back into some semblance of order as she walked. 'Thud thud thud' went the door. She sped up her pace as she left the kitchen and entered the entrance hall. Her son, in his female form, paused partway down the stairs.

"Mum?" Her temporary daughter asked.

"I've got it," Nodoka assured the other redhead as she walked over to the door.

"If it's that turtle girl again…" Ranma muttered as she stepped off the stairs.

Nodoka sighed and shook her head in amusement before opening the door. "Hello, how can I… help…" The words caught in her throat as she trailed off.

Five people, two women and three men, stood in the entrance. They were a motley lot. A black and grey-haired man in robes with a staff, a fair skinned blonde woman in a silvery breastplate, a short and stocky man, a wispy thin man with sharp features a beard and pointed ears, and a black haired woman who seemed to be trying to fade out of notice behind the rest. Of them, she only recognized the old man. The woman in plate armour seemed very familiar. She had to be from back then as well.

"Master Blackburn." She breathed, "This is… unexpected." It was something of an understatement given the circumstances of their last… encounter. It hadn't really been a meeting. One person yelling at another as they ran off with the first's life's work was not a meeting. It probably met the definition of a robbery, however.

Blackburn, the older man, sighed. "Lady Alagondar." He said, "finally."

She could feel colour enter her cheeks as the old man assessed her. "It is Saotome now." She said. She had left that life behind.

Blackburn leaned to the side, raising an eyebrow as he saw Ranma peeking out from behind her. "Your daughter?" He asked.

She glanced down at her son, her daughter. The redhead looked back up at her with a confused expression. "Mum?" She asked.

"My son actually." She said turning back to Blackburn. "There is magic involved." She clarified. He nodded.

"I see." He said, "A lot can happen in thirty years." He scowled, "And it has been a very long and bloody thirty years."

"Mum?" Ranma repeated, "Who is he? Who are they?" Nodoka looked down again, meeting the concerned eyes of her child. It seemed that today it was her past rather than Genma's which would be taking center stage.

Nodoka sighed and stepped aside. "Please, come in. I would advise against trying anything, however. Ranma is far more capable than I ever was."

"An achievement worthy of praise." The woman, whose name Nodoka was struggling to recall despite how familiar she seemed, next to Blackburn said, "You certainly managed to lose us for quite a while." She stepped inside and, without giving Nodoka a warning, pulled her into a hug. "It is good to see you again. After so long most of us had thought you dead."

Nodoka awkwardly returned the hug. "I had thought my father would have given up by now." She said.

"And perhaps he has," Blackburn said as he entered the house. "Your father was rather… angry shall we say. Gave me an ultimatum, a hundred men and told me not to return without you." He tisked. "Of course the court Wizard takes the blame when the Young Princess decides to do a runner with his spellbook."

"Princess? Mum?" Nodoka closed her eyes and sighed again as Ranma was looking from one to the other.

"She doesn't know?" The tall woman asked as she pulled back from the hug.

"Apparently not. Not really that important I'd imagine." The thin wispy man said as he spoke for the first time.

"We'll talk in the dinner room," Nodoka said, turning and walking briskly from the entrance room. Ranma was quickly on her heels. "And remember to remove your shoes." She called back. There was some shuffling and thudding as heavy boots were removed. Torm grant her strength and patience, this was going to take a while.

-0-0-0-0-0-

A Ranma ½ Forgotten Realms Crossover

The Crown of Neverwinter

By: Grounders10

-0-0-0-0-0-

The Princess and The Wizard

-0-0-0-0-0-

The day had already proven to be weird. Turtles were not supposed to talk, or eat steel I-beams, or walk on walls, or fly. Turtles had, on this day, done all of that and more. Lunch had been more exciting than it had really needed to be. So had dinner for that matter. Thankfully that pan had been Ukyo's rather than one of Kasumi's so at least they weren't going to be short on cookware. And really Mu Tsu really hadn't needed those spare swords, they were spares after all… The car had looked rather expensive though.

Still, as she sat at the dining table beside her mother and across from the newcomers, she had to wonder what new and perhaps even stranger series of events was about to unfold.

The old man and the woman in armour had taken a seat at the table while the other three were lined up behind them by the wall. The other woman seemed a bit nervous as she glanced about the room, her eyes darting from corner, to person, to shadow and to the next corner. She was garbed in dark brown pants, a dark green tunic, and a dark green cloak that went to her knees. When she shifted to look at a new corner or another person Ranma could spot a handful of blades slipped into her belt. A few odd bulges on her legs suggested several more.

The thin man with the pointed, almost elven look to him leaned against the doorframe with an air of almost boredom. Beside him a longbow, unstrung at present, leaned against the wall. He wore no armour. Instead, he wore a pair of black woollen pants and a white shirt that showed off the muscles of his chest. From his right shoulder hung a gaudy cloak that seemed entirely made of patches of a thousand different shades. On his left shoulder was his only consideration to protection, a leather pauldron. In his hands, he toyed with a dagger of that same silvery metal as the first woman's breastplate.

The last of the newcomers was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall while cradling a sheathed broadsword in his lap. Short, stout and with a beard that was braided into a chain that was held together by a gold ring at the end. He wore padded cloth armour underneath a breastplate of the same silvery metal. His gaze was fixed on Ranma's mother, a clearly conflicted look on his face.

"Now, what is this about?" Ranma's father asked from the head of the table where he sat with Soun Tendo. The two men were looking rather grim with her overweight father leaning forward across the table. They weren't the the only ones to join them. The three Tendo sisters were sitting, somewhat awkwardly, by the door. Thankfully any of the real crazies had long since disappeared so it was just Tendo's and Saotome's.

Ranma's mother sighed. "This is about me and the fact that I ran away from home when I was sixteen." She said. Ranma looked at her mother with surprise. She never would have thought her own mother, dignified and collected at all times, would have run away from home. The older redhead seemed rather resigned. "After so long," she shook her head, "I never thought anyone would find me."

The old man, Blackburn her mother had called him, snorted. "We very nearly didn't. You had luck on your side. We made a few mistakes early on and it took until now to figure out what those were." He said.

"Still, most would have given up years ago." Her mother pointed out.

Blackburn scowled. "And many of my men did. I set out with a hundred men, including these four I've only got a dozen men fit for battle." He said. Ranma recognized the look of horror that crossed her mother's face and so did the old man it seemed. "Only some died. Most ran off themselves once progress started drying up. I was down to thirty men five years in. Only five dead. A miracle given some of the places we tracked you. By Torm's grace, what possessed you to enter a hydra's den?"

Nodoka's hands tightened into fists in her lap as she looked down, shame clearly visible. "I wanted to lose you, not kill you." She said, "How many died?"

"Eleven."

Ranma's mother sighed and massaged her face. "I'm sorry." She said.

Blackburn sighed, "I know."

"Mum, what is going on?" Ranma asked again.

Her mother looked down. "I should start from the beginning. Genma knows that I ran away from home."

"You brought that up early on." Genma agreed, "I never did manage to convince you to share more."

Nodoka smiled wryly. "It didn't matter back then. It had been a decade since I left when I met you. I felt that if no one had come for me then the odds of being found were next to zero."

"We managed fairly well then." The woman next to Blackburn said.

Nodoka nodded. "I am impressed by your determination at least. I am getting off track though. What I never told Genma is who my family was, or really just how far away I came from. In case it's not obvious I am not Japanese by birth." She said.

"Really Auntie?" Akane asked. She sounded as surprised as Ranma felt. Next to Akane the eldest daughter merely nodded her understanding. Kasumi must have suspected as much herself. Nabiki just seemed curious.

As for Ranma, well she had wondered if there was a bit of western blood in her given how fair her own skin tone was as a girl.

"Yes, really." Her mother said, "More than that I am very familiar with magic, master Blackburn here was my teacher back home."

The old man nodded. "When your king asks you to teach his youngest, you do as asked."

"King!" The exclamation came in stereo from Ranma, Akane and Nabiki. Genma was staring at his wife with a look of surprise.

Nodoka sighed. "Yes, King." She said, "I was Princess Nodoka Alagondar, youngest child of King Bann the second and Queen Danna of Neverwinter."

"You are still a Princess." The armoured woman said, "You have the blood of House Alagondar."

"Only if my father hasn't thrown me from the family for running away. Gods, my father is probably dead by now." A few tears made their appearance and Ranma scooted closer to her. She hated seeing her mother cry. She placed a hand on her mother's shoulder, awkwardly trying to comfort her. Her mother took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm fine, just haven't thought about this in years."

"I can assure you neither your father nor your brothers ever considered such a thing." Blackburn said, "It was your brother's anger at my negligence that prompted the king to forbid my return unless I came back with you."

Nodoka looked up sharply. "That's why you kept looking." She said.

He nodded. "Aye. I have to return with you, and while I may have been away from the city for longer than I lived in it I will be damned if I don't complete this task." He hand smack the tabletop lightly, "And my men deserve to go home as well. I have to ask, will you return with us?"

She looked away. "I… had my reasons for leaving."

"What were they?" The armoured woman leaned forward, "You left so suddenly, no one could figure out why."

Nodoka sighed, "It seems a bit silly looking back. I should have told someone about it at least."

"Why would you abandon being a Princess?" Nabiki asked, "Life with servants waiting on you, with whatever you want within reach. Why would you walk away from that?" Honestly, that kind of life sounded rather… dull to Ranma. Having someone do everything for you sounded like the perfect way to wind up bored out of your mind.

"Because I was told a prophecy." The room fell quiet as Nodoka frowned. "It's funny I can't remember what the words were anymore. It's been thirty years since I was told it and it shaped so much of what I did for an entire decade. I just… can't remember what his words were precisely." Ranma closed her eyes and muffled a sigh. Prophecies were annoying, vague, most of the time utterly false creations meant to manipulate the weak-willed.

Blackburn groaned and massaged his forehead with his right hand. Behind him, the short man leaned his forehead against the pommel of his sword and was muttering something in a language Ranma couldn't recognize. The elvenish man was staring at the roof a thoroughly amused look on his face.

"Please don't tell me you just listened to some random madman on the street Princess." The armoured woman asked with her own frown.

Nodoka shook her head. "No, no. Nothing of the sort. It was from the head of the Temple of Torm, Cleric Hannagan." There was a sharp intake of breath from the two at the table and the short man.

"The old goat fucking bastard." The short man shouted angrily as he stood up. "Knew nothing did he!" Ranma leaned back as the short man started in on an impressive display of angry swearing.

"Formond, enough," Blackburn said after several minutes of progressively more elaborate oaths. "If the old fool is still alive when we get back I'm sure the king will want words with him. However…"

"However, he was an actual cleric of Torm, not just a priest." The woman next to him continued.

"Which is why I took it so seriously, Lady Mason," Nodoka replied.

Mason smiled. "Finally remembered my name I see." She said.

"I have no idea what you mean." Ranma's mother deflected.

"You ran because of a prophecy?" Genma asked. He looked very worried all of a sudden.

"It has nothing to do with anyone here but me." Nodoka assured him with a sharp glance. "I can't remember what the exact phrase was, but I do remember enough to paraphrase."

"Then please, paraphrase away." The elfen man at the back quipped.

Nodoka glanced at Blackburn who nodded. "Very well." She paused, biting her lip as she thought. "You will be queen when the blood and ash has set."

"Your phrasing?" Blackburn asked.

She nodded. "Yes, my phrasing. It is as close as I can recall anyway."

"Damn it." The old man sighed. "No timeline? Nothing about moons, or star alignments? Seasons even?" Nodoka shook her head. "Bugger it all."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "You're taking this rather serious." She said.

"We've had a very eventful few decades Miss Ranma." Mason said. She looked older as she said that. The lines of her face seemed deeper and her eyes, for a moment, seemed to look into the distance. "It has been a long time."

Blackburn nodded. "It has and the reason I am taking this seriously is because that old fool made quite a few prophecies over his years in office. Nearly all of them came to pass."

Ranma frowned. Someone who actually made real prophecies? Ones that came true? Had come true before. This was not something she needed to deal with on top of every other bit of madness her life tended to throw at her. Like the turtle earlier that day. That had almost been normal for her. She did not need to add prophecies on top of it.

At the head of the table Genma and Soun were muttering things back and forth, making the occasional gesture that suggested a debate on whether they really, really, needed to stick around. Who was arguing for or against Ranma couldn't tell.

"Now," Blackburn rapped his knuckle on the table for attention. "Given that I am not bowing to you at a throne in Neverwinter I think given how much time has passed we shouldn't worry about this matter too heavily. At least not without further indicators, or an actual copy of this prophecy."

Nodoka frowned, "There was no time given for it however." She reminded.

"Be that as it may, my duty is to take you home. Will you come willingly?" The old man asked.

Ranma's mother frowned and Ranma herself started eying the others in the room as actual threats. All of them, barring the old man, had the build of experienced fighters and she could see the scars from what were probably many many battles. Some were small, like the tiny one under the eye of the nervous woman at the back. Others were large, like the scar that travelled from just beneath the left eye of the short man down into his beard. Their weapons were varied, and unfortunately, none of them had done more than walk into the room so she couldn't tell how capable any of them actually were.

"Auntie?" Kasumi said calmly, drawing the room's attention.

"Yes Kasumi?" Nodoka asked.

"I think you should go." The Eldest daughter said.

"Now, Kasumi," Soun began.

"This may be your last chance to see your family again." Her father trailed off as she continued, "I would be a shame to waste it. Besides, nothing says you can't come back."

Blackburn nodded. "She is right. My job is to take you back, nothing about keeping you there." He said. Ranma relaxed and sighed as the trio moved their hands from where they had been hovering by their weapons.

Nodoka drummed her fingers on the table top as she thought. "I… It would be nice to see my father if he is still around. I've missed my brothers and Maria." She said finally before frowning. "Do you have a way of heading home however? I wouldn't have stayed here when I got here except for a bit of a magic issue I had."

"Magic?" Ranma asked.

"Oh, yes magic." Nodoka blushed slightly as she met Ranma's inquisitive look. "Master Blackburn was my tutor in magic back then."

"You've known magic this entire time!" Genma said, half-standing before freezing as she shot him an annoyed look.

"Knowing magic is nearly pointless around here. The magic is so thin on earth that casting anything impressive is virtually impossible outside of select regions. Nerima is not one of those." She informed him.

"But, you know magic?" Ranma asked as she looked at her mother carefully. Today was turning out to be one surprise after another. Though… If she knew about magic, and practiced it, had she known about the curse before she revealed it?

"Oh yes, though I haven't practiced much in years. Even basic cantrips are like pulling teeth sometimes." Nodoka sighed. She held up a hand and made a small flicking motion. Genma and Soun practically teleported up against the back wall as small red sparks appeared and disappeared with small popping noises, like miniature fireworks. She breathed out a sigh of annoyance. "And that took real effort."

"I've noticed that too, fortunately, this is not the first time I've encountered such a place as this," Blackburn said as he patted his bag. "I have scrolls that can open a portal from here to, whatever world we need to go to."

"Whatever world?" Ranma asked, her eyes flickering to her mother again. "You're from another world." And the weirdness meter ticked upward again. Wonderful.

Nodoka smiled mischievously. "I am, and it was a very beautiful world at times. Neverwinter was far less sophisticated technologically than Tokyo, but it was home." She sighed. "I would be lying if I said I didn't miss it."

"But it had magic?" Ranma asked.

"Oh yes, a great deal at times. We have an entire school set up to teach wizards. The clerics at the temples would pray to their gods for blessings to share with others while there were some who simply had a talent of their very own. Sorcerers of great skill and power." Her smile was nostalgic.

"Not all of us need magic." Formond said, the short man heaving himself to his feet, "But finding even a hedge wizard to deal with something minor was never hard."

Nodoka looking at Ranma. She smiled. "Since it seems that there is a way there, what would you say to coming along and meet your grandfather, uncles and aunt?" She asked

"Now hold on a minute," Genma said, stepping forward from the wall, only to step right back to it as Nodoka pointed a hand towards him. Ranma didn't imagine the smirk that Nodoka shared with her.

It was Ranma's turn to be thoughtful. Going to another world, seeing a family she didn't even know she had. A world with magic? Maybe she could see about getting more control over her curse?

"Ranma." She glanced back at Akane. "Go."

"Akane, maybe you should-" Soun started.

"Not me. Ranma." Akane snapped, "I'd rather not get involved in more magic than I have to, thank you very much." Soun fell silent, though Ranma was sure he had more to say. A glance showed that tears were threatening to fall from the Tendo Patriarch's eyes. She rolled her eyes. Some father he was.

Putting that aside though, this was an opportunity. "I think that sounds great." She said.

"Then you'll come. Both of you no less?" Blackburn asked.

Nodoka nodded. "I think I've been away long enough." She said. "It will be nice to see Neverwinter again, though I hope you don't want to leave right this second. I can think of a few things I'd like to bring along as gifts for my family."

"We can wait a few days no issue. Assuming you have a place to keep us." Blackburn said.

"It shouldn't take more than a day to get ready I wouldn't think. We can leave the day after tomorrow, after breakfast." Nodoka said, "And I think that the Dojo would be more than sufficient if we dig out some blankets."

"We have our own bedrolls…" The old man trailed off at Nodoka's unimpressed look. "However we are more than happy to accept your offer."

Nodoka smiled. "And I'm sure Soun will be a gracious host." She shot a look at the actual owner of the home. He nodded quickly. "Wonderful. Let's get you settled and I'll see about getting you some food since you missed dinner."

"Ah, food. It will be good to have something other than hardtack and jerky after the last month." Formond said.

"Then let us get you settled, Ranma would you help Kasumi in the kitchen for now?" Nodoka asked as she stood up.

"Sure." And maybe she could finally get some hot water to change back as well.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Living with a Jusenkyo curse was a strange experience. Water was a common enough occurrence that there was never a way to guarantee what form you would be in from minute to minute. For Ranma, it was a simple fact of life that had become normal over the last few years. Gender had become about as important as clothing, though most clothes didn't dissolve the moment they got hit with the wrong temperature of water.

She stretched as Kasumi poured a cup of hot water over her head. He sighed as the change took effect. "Thanks Kasumi." He said pulling his now black braid into order. It always got tangled a bit when he changed.

The eldest Tendo smiled at him as she set the glass on the counter top. "Thank you for your help Ranma." She replied before picking two stacks of bento boxes and holding them out to him. "Take these out to the dojo please."

"Sure Kasumi." Taking one stack in each arm he left the kitchen, narrowly dodging Nabiki as she whipped passed on her way to the stairs. She looked uncharacteristically excited to him. "What's got her so excited." He muttered though he didn't bother dwelling on it. It probably spelt something bad for him in the long run. Her schemes for making money tended to drag him in these days.

Putting that mildly unpleasant thought aside he headed for the dojo, ignoring his father and Mr. Tendo where they were plotting over a game of shogi on the porch. They were both blatantly cheating.

The door to the dojo was open when he arrived and he could hear voices talking in what sounded like English. Very accented English, but it was definitely the European language. Why did it have to be English? Out of the languages, he knew it had to be the most annoying one.

"I'm just saying its all quite fancy here. The roads, those mechanical carriages that trundle about. The lampposts. Those things came on by themselves last night. You sure there's no magic here Kazale?" Formond's voice floated around the corner.

"There is some magic here. Not enough for any but the simplest spells, but certainly some." Blackburn replied as Ranma entered the room. The center of the Dojo had spare bedding laid out on folding mattresses set up in a circle around a pile of bags. The five strangers had settled onto the beds and most of them had shucked off the outer layers of their armour.

Lady Mason, her armour off and revealing the gambeson beneath, looked up from where she was polishing her sword with a rag. "Who are you?" She asked, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Ranma. We met earlier." He said. The other woman in the room sat up from where she was lying down on her mattress, one hand already drawing a blade from within her tunic.

The elf fellow placed a hand atop hers before it was half-way draw. "Easy Agatha. Let him explain." He said, sharing a look with the woman who slowly let go of her blade.

Blackburned frowned at Ranma around the end of a pipe as that little drama unfolded. He breathed out a cloud of smoke. "Your mother said there was magic involved when she called you her son. Do you normally switch back and forth?" He asked.

"Yep. A curse I picked up in a little backwater in China called Jusenkyo." He set the bentos down beside Lady Mason. "Here, dinner. I helped Kasumi put these together."

"Thank you, milord." Lady Mason said as she passed them out, two to each of them. Thank you's were echoed around the group. As they went to open them a thought occurred to Ranma, cutlery. He'd forgotten to grab chopsticks from the kitchen.

"You might want these." He said as he pulled five spoons from his sleeves. They had been stored in his ki-pocket since he'd recovered and cleaned them up after a fight with Mousse. You never knew when an ice-cream shop would suddenly run out of spoons. It had happened to Ranma twice before.

Thank yous were once again repeated as everyone dug in. Then repeated again as Ranma pulled out a set of forks.

Setting his bento down to take a pull from his pipe Blackburn eyed Ranma. "So, time of day? Mood? What causes the transformation?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh." Ranma sighed and found a seat between the mattresses of Formond and Lady Mason. "Cold water." Everyone paused.

"You change when you encounter _water_?" The elven man seemed amused. "Well that's got to be damned unfortunate. What do you when it rains? Do you switch back every other second? Turn into half-man?" Agatha smack him in the shoulder with an annoyed look and muttered something Ranma missed. The man shrugged it off.

"Spend the day as a girl usually." Ranma sighed. Weather tended to be the main determining factor on his gender most days. "Hot water turns me back to a guy."

"Humph." Blackburn snorted before taking a spoonful of the rice. "A rather strange curse. Sounds rather complicated to keep working."

"Any more complicated than your usual bit of handwaving?" Formond asked.

"All magic is complicated. Most transformative magics are one and done things, however. You alter the form and it either turns back after a short while or it's permanent." Blackburn said, "How long have you had this now?"

Ranma frowned, it had been a while now. He had spent two years at the Tendo's now. At least a year wandering china dodging Shampoo. "Around three years now I guess?" He said, and it was a guess. They'd lost their calendar halfway to Jusenkyo, or thereabouts.

The older man hummed as he puffed thoughtfully on his pipe. "Wouldn't be too unusual back home. A spell like this would just need to tie into the weave, connect you to the magic of the world for power. Here though? How long have you been right here?" He tapped the dojo floor.

"Two years next month," Ranma replied. He remembered that easily enough at least. Akane had been making noises like she had plans for that date. He had been trying to make plans to be gone so he wouldn't have to sample whatever monstrosity she cooked up to celebrate. The Fathers had been less than cooperative.

"Hrmm… Strange." Blackburn sighed. "Well, nothing I can do without a proper workshop. I could use the one back at our base, but the one at the academy in Neverwinter would probably be better. If you're willing that is."

An actual Wizard, a magic user, willing to take a look at the curse? Ranma smiled. "I'm game. Think you can give me control over it?" He asked.

The older man raised an eyebrow. "Don't want to be rid of it?" He asked.

Ranma shrugged. "Kinda got used to it. Besides, it has its perks." Like strawberry sundaes. They were simply _divine_ as a girl.

The old man snorted, and the eleven-man started snickering. Ranma rolled his eyes. He knew where their minds were going. God damned perverts.

"So," Formond started as he set aside his empty bento. He wiped a few loose grains of rice from his beard. "I saw the way you were looking at us earlier. You know how to fight?"

"The Princess said as much." Lady Mason said.

The small man shot her a look. "And I want to hear it from the kid 'imself. So lad?" He turned back to Ranma.

"Pops trained me in martial arts since I was five." Ranma said, "I'm the best there is."

Formond chuckled. "Are you now? Bold claim from a brat." He said, "When we have time I'd like to test that. Though," He hefted his sheathed blade, "With something a bit less sharp than Marisa here. Wouldn't want to take your head off by accident would I?"

Ranma chuckled, "A little guy like you couldn't reach my neck in the first place. Even if you had the height." He said.

Formond snorted. "It'll take something sharper than a jest about my height to get me riled up boy. Now, your fighting skill better be sharper than your wit, or you'd have a hard time fighting a fly let alone a Dwarf." The broad grin took most of the sting out of the words, but it was enough.

With a grin of his own, and the many shaking heads of the group, he launched his own insult back at the Dwarf. The dwarf laughingly responded with his own again, and so it went for several hours.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day began for Nodoka with her going through her closet writing a list of everything she didn't have that she would need for travelling back home. The list was… a great deal longer than she would have liked. Her preferred style these days was not exactly suited for the rigours of travelling in Faerun. Even with how short of a time they would be spending outside the city they would have to deal with the elements while they walked to the city. Kimonos were unsuited to walking through the brush and the mud.

She had managed to salvage her old bag of holding from the wreckage of the house, but she had grown in areas that meant what little of her old travelling gear that had survived the years and the disasters would not fit her anymore. Which meant she needed to add clothes shopping to her list of tasks.

She added another item to her list and slid the closet door shut. There was a knock on the door. "Princess, are you in here?" Blackburn asked.

"Come in." She called. The door slid open and her old teacher entered the room. He looked about, glancing at the beds on the floor.

"Rather humble compared to where you came from." He said.

"A castle has fewer luxuries than I can find living here." She replied, "A fact that makes a smaller room bearable. Though I have been making plans to rebuild the house."

"Something happened I take it?" He asked.

She sighed. "There was a bit of a dispute between some of my son's paramours." She said, "The building, unfortunately, couldn't handle the strain."

Blackburn raised an eyebrow. "How many?" He asked.

"Three." She replied in perfect deadpan. It had been rather surprising just how much damage three young women could do while searching for a pill box. That they had thought it was a ring didn't matter. She frowned at the memory. She had liked that house quite a bit.

"Impressive feat for three women." He said.

She snorted. "Girls, just three very foolish girls."

He nodded. "What caused it?" He asked.

"Something very stupid." She sighed, "You came here for a reason?" She prodded.

"Of course. You were planning on heading out today?"

She held up her list. "Just finished inventorying everything I'll need to pick up. Ranma already has everything necessary, but Nabiki will need to pick up a few things." The middle Tendo's surprise request to come with them the day before had been a surprise.

"Eager young lady." Blackburn said with a neutral frown. "Bit too eager really."

Nodoka nodded. Nabiki had spent the entirety of breakfast asking questions about magic. "Nabiki is ambitious and doesn't always think things through in my experience." She said, "She's quite a bright girl most of the time though."

"I've seen that combination before." Blackburn sighed, "Magic and ambition can be a bad mixture."

"It all depends on how that ambition is directed," Nodoka replied, "If you want to try teaching her something minor as a test feel free. It's not like she can do much with magic around here anyway."

"Not our type of magic." He ran a hand along his chin. "I'll consider it. Not while we're in this world though. Too damned hard to get magic to work even for us. Unless she's got more talent than Elminister I doubt she could manage anything here even with my instruction."

She nodded. "Fair enough."

"Now, list?" He held out a hand.

Bemused she handed it over. He looked down at it and raised an eyebrow. She had written it in Japanese not Common. He sighed then, to her surprise, reached into a pocket and removed a pair of spectacles which he prompted perched upon his nose. "There we go." He smiled at her annoyed look. "Enchanted reading glasses of comprehend language. Very helpful." He looked down and his eyebrow went back up. "What are tampons?"

She took the list back. "Items for female hygiene, nothing you need to worry about." She said.

He snorted but acquiesced to her silent demand as she headed for the door. He followed. "Emma will be accompanying you." He said.

"Only if Lady Mason ditches the armour." Nodoka replied firmly. "I don't need someone clanking around behind me all day, especially when I am with my child. Ranma is more than capable of protecting me." Having someone in heavy armour clattering about would draw so much unnecessary attention. Even in Nerima.

"Be that as it may, I am not letting you out of my team's sight until we are home and the King has granted us leave." He replied.

"Then she loses the armour," Nodoka ordered.

"She will not be happy." He warned.

She rolled her eyes. "Then she can lurk behind me unhappily. We'll be fine." Honestly, this was Nerima, not the Docks Quarter of Neverwinter. They were perfectly safe.

As it turned out, they were perfectly fine shopping. Nothing went wrong, and she even managed to convince her minder to try on a very nice green dress. Well, perfectly fine if she ignored the odd flashes of light around several corners and the fact Ranma had come back from the washroom tucking something into the sleeves of the very nice sundress she hadn't been wearing beforehand and looking rather annoyed with something.

Still, a perfectly fine shopping trip even if Lady Mason had looked somewhat frazzled by the end of it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Ranma's closet was full. It had filled up rather quickly after they arrived at the dojo. Some of it had been from the rather basic Ki pocket she had been experimenting with back then. The rest of the dresses, shirts, pants, and somewhat unique costumes had been accumulated in the two years since. Really going through it tended to make her realize just how much of a clothes horse she had become.

"What are you doing with that?" Akane asked from where she was leaning against the closed door.

"Hm?" Ranma looked up from where she was examining the dress she had worn during, and kept after, the incident with the wandering island. She held it up. "Does this look like it shrank to you?" She asked.

Her fiancee gave her a flat unimpressed look. "It looks normal, but why are you considering taking it?" She asked.

Ranma rolled her eyes as she put the dress out of reality into her ki pocket. "Never know when a fancy dress will be needed. Besides, it was good enough for one royal court, it'll be good enough for another." She said.

"It was good enough for a prospective harem girl, not a royal court." Akane snorted. Ranma resisted the desire to roll her eyes again at the other girl.

"Wife, not a harem girl." Ranma reminded her. Unable to resist the urge to needle she added, "And you seemed to like the dress Toma put you in. Still hanging in your closet isn't it?"

Akane huffed but dropped the topic. "Still, don't you have better things to put in your pocket? You're going as the son of their princess, not the daughter." She said.

Ranma shrugged. It was a good point, but life was never predictable. "According to mum hot water is a bit harder to get there." Which meant she'd need situational clothing to take advantage of her form. That dress from the wandering island really showed off her legs and other features… Though the chest had looked a bit small to her now. Hmmmm….

Akane hmmed as several more dresses, two neutral shirts, and five identical pairs of black pants disappeared either into her pocket or into her travelling bag. The bag could be bulky, but it was useful when she was too tired to reach into her ki pocket, which did happen sometimes when travelling or training. Also, you would get less weird looks pulling things out of a large bag than you did when pulling them out of thin air.

"Sure you don't want to come?" Ranma asked.

"I'm sure. There's enough magic around here. A place where there are actual wizards and other magic users running about? No thank you." Akane shook her head and shuddered, "You can go there if you want, but I'd rather not risk getting turned into a frog, or a duck… again."

Ranma nodded. "Our lives are so weird at times." She sighed.

"Yep." Akane agreed.

"Nabiki is coming along." Ranma frowned at the shirt in her hands. It hadn't done anything wrong, but the idea of bringing along the one Tendo who actively tried to make her life worse at times was not a very appealing one.

"My sister is scheming something." Akane agreed, "No idea what, but she's had this weird look ever since she saw Auntie make those sparks yesterday."

Ranma paused and turned to look at Akane. "You mean when Mum showed off magic?" She asked.

"Mhmm." Akane nodded, "Like when she sees an opportunity for money. Like last month, with that betting pool."

"Which one? The skate park, or the one that turned into the football riot?" Ranma asked as she turned back to the closet. She pushed aside a few dresses and shirts that were too small now. Though they would probably fit Akane? Hm... No mentioning that was probably a bad idea, though leaving them behind would probably see a few disappear while Akane thought she could get away with it. For all that she complained about Nabiki stealing her things, Akane was just as guilty when of the same things, and didn't limit herself to family either.

"The fight in the park, the one with the boxing arena they use for everything." Akane clarified, "That fight between you and Ryouga." She frowned, "What did you do to him this time?"

Ranma rolled her eyes. "Nothing." She replied. Honestly, Ryouga hadn't even been angry that time, or depressed. He'd just been looking for a good fight. It wasn't their fault that half the park, including the ring, had needed replacing… especially since it only got out of hand when Mu Tsu and Kuno crashed the fight. "It was just a spar."

"You levelled the park."

"By accident." That was the important thing, right?

Akane sighed. "If that's what you want to think." She shrugged and walked over to the closet. "Think you've taken enough?" Ranma shrugged. The closet was nearly empty.

"Probably." She admitted, stashing a last pair of pants in her bag before pulling out a list. Giving it a once over she nodded. "I've got everything I need."

Akane peaked at the list. She tapped the list. "Really?"

Ranma rolled her eyes. "Yes, really. Now if you don't mind I need to focus on the stuff I don't need. Mum wanted me to bring some sort of gift and I didn't find anything during our shopping trip." She sighed.

"And you think you can find something in your stuff worth giving to royalty?" Akane deadpanned.

"Yes." Ranma said, "Mum is bringing some books. I can probably find something here." Her mother had been planning on bringing books, and she did have a few on medicine she had collected over the years. She could spare a couple some of the basic ones at least, though did she have anything in a language they could read?

"What now?" Akane asked.

"I just need to go ask Mum something," Ranma said. She hung back up the clothes she had decided against taking and slid her bag back into the closet for the next day.

"What?"

"We bought a bunch of books today as gifts. How are they supposed to read them?" Ranma asked her fiancee who blinked and frowned.

"Magic?" She offered.

Ranma shrugged. "Probably. I'd like to know for sure. Come on." She turned on her heel and left the room, Akane following behind her.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"What do you think auntie?" The dress Nabiki held up was pretty, and was entirely unsuited for the realities of travelling in Faerun in Nodoka's opinion.

"I think it is as pretty as the last three you showed me Nabiki." Nodoka sighed as she toyed with the notepad in her hands, "One or two is perfectly fine, however sundresses are not suited to either the climate or the realities of travelling. Think of this as a hike. You should be bringing things that are more durable. Like the two dresses we picked up earlier."

"Already packed." Nabiki replied, patting the bag.

The older woman sighed. "Then pick something other than a dress. Travelling Faerun is dangerous, even around Neverwinter. You never know when a group of Kobolds or bandits might claim a section of highway for use. A dress catches on branches and brambles, and most of them tend to stand out more than pants and a shirt do."

Nabiki flashed her a disbelieving look. "You're wearing a kimono. You've always worn a kimono." She said.

"I quite like kimonos, they're very… unique." And they reminded her of her grandmother. The older woman had always had a fondness for clothes from far distant lands. "However, I will be ditching most of my own kimonos for this trip. They are far too inappropriate for travelling." They were also rather conspicuous since they were not native to the Sword Coast. She would much rather not stick out even if they were going to visit family.

Nabiki's head tilted to the side as a look that Nodoka recognized as someone trying to picture a concept that seemed impossible to them. As her eyes started to cross Nodoka giggled into a hand. "I didn't start wearing kimonos until I came here Nabiki." She said, with amusement tingeing her voice. "When I ran away I wore pants, shirts, the occasional dress when the situation called for it, and some leather. When it wasn't being destroyed by one thing or another."

"You don't really seem the type," Nabiki admitted.

"I tried to put that life behind once I realized I couldn't move on. Well, once I realized that and found myself engaged to Genma." She sighed.

"Found yourself?"

Nodoka shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She said, "Suffice to say I moved on. I never expected to need to worry about these sorts of things ever again." She paused as she contemplated once more heading into danger. It was… exciting in a way she hadn't felt in years. Sure she was just going to be heading home for a visit, but that could mean nearly anything in the North. For all that she knew a cult could make an attempt on the throne, or a dragon could ambush them on the road, or any number of other things. When had she last willingly ventured into the unknown? Her stomach fluttered nervously as she thought about the possibilities. It had been so long.

"Auntie?" Nabiki's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"My apologies Nabiki. Caught up in my own thoughts." She sighed, "And now I've just realized I should double check that I have everything I need." Like her old spellbook. She had put it in the bag, right? When was the last time she read it? Was it still legible, or had the ink run at some point like some of those old books Blackburn had once assigned to her as her tutor?

"Sure. I'll finish packing." Nabiki said with a wide smile that faded as Nodoka frowned at her.

"I'll be double checking it later." She warned. The middle Tendo nodded hurriedly. "Good. Remember if it has to be repacked, it won't be you doing the packing."

"I know." Nodoka smiled at the hasty reply.

"Then I will see you later Nabiki." With a smile she left the room and the teenager frowning at her bag. She wondered how long it would take before she noticed that Nodoka had left a list of instructions on the bed?

With a quiet snicker she shook her head as she made her way to the room she shared with her husband and Ranma. She was reaching out to slide open the door to the guest room when it moved on its own and Ranma, in her female form with her hair a brighter red than Nodoka's ever had been at that age, hurried through and walked straight into Nodoka.

Nodoka stumbled back as her son turned daughter let out a muffled oof as she walked face first into her mother's chest. Regaining her balance the two stepped away from each other as Akane snickered. "Hi, Auntie," Akane said through her snickering.

"Hello Akane, hello Ranma. In a hurry?" She asked her daughter who was flushed with embarrassment.

"Looking for you mum," Ranma said, rallying quickly.

"Why so urgently that you don't watch where you're going?" She asked, slipping into a reproving tone.

"Sorry." Ranma's blush grew worse. "It's about the gifts you wanted me to find and bring."

"Ah." Nodoka nodded before glancing up at Akane. "Your sister needs a hand packing, would you mind giving her a hand while I help Ranma?" She asked.

Akane blinked, then grinned. "Sure." Lips twitched like she was trying not to laugh as she walked passed both of them.

Nodoka looked down at her daughter. "Well?" She asked.

"You bought a bunch of books," Ranma said.

"I did." Nodoka acknowledged. Earth was well advanced of Toril in general and much of its knowledge would be applicable on Toril. "Books on engineering and agriculture will help a great deal."

"Well… How are they supposed to read them? They're in Japanese right?" Ranma asked.

Nodoka nodded. "They are, however, there are a number of magic tools or spells that can be used to read or speak languages you may not necessarily be proficient in. From there they can be translated and transcribed. It's done with ancient texts all the time."

"Oh." Ranma frowned in that way that made her look adorable. If she didn't have to worry about her son's masculine image she would have been rather hard pressed to not give her a hug. "Then would medical books be fine?"

Medical? Of course. Faerun has powerful healing magic, but its actual medical knowledge was far behind Earth's. "Yes, they would. Why? Do you have some?" She asked.

"This way." Ranma went back into the room and, curiosity peaked, Nodoka followed. The guest bedroom had two closets, one on either end of the room. Technically the guestroom could have been turned into two smaller rooms with the addition of a divider in the center, but none of them had felt the need… Well, that and her husband had seemed annoyed the one time she had suggested it.

Ranma headed for her closet. It had surprised Nodoka, when she had moved in, to discover just how much clothing Ranma actually owned. While he rarely used most of it, her son was more of a clothes horse than she was. She hadn't quite believed Genma when he shared that Ranma kept most of it elsewhere. Ranma slid open the closet and pulled her full travel pack out of the way. Reaching into the closet she pulled out a few miscellaneous items. Boxes, several scroll cases, what appeared to be a case for a painting, and a very large calligraphy brush were amongst the items that were set aside. Finally, she stood up with a small stack of rather large books.

"These are some of the books I was thinking of." She said. She held out the top book and Nodoka took it. "Medication Safety for…" she raised an eyebrow, "Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?"

Ranma flushed and grabbed it. "Sorry, just grabbed whatever was on top of the pile." She said hurriedly.

"Why do you even have that?" Nodoka asked as her child sorted through the stack.

"It was referred to in one of the other books." Ranma said as she fished another book out. "Here, this is more along the lines of what I thought."

Nodoka took it with a feeling of bemusement. "A Beginner's Guide to Anesthesiology." She read. The title was in english, as had the first book. "When did you start reading medical books?"

Ranma paused, thinking. "Eight? No, it'd be ten years ago now. Started with some simple first aid books pops gave me. Just kept collecting them over the years. I've got nearly a hundred now. I could spare a lot of the basic ones. They're not too hard to replace. I would need to give them at least a couple dozen though. Medical books reference others a bunch and just giving them one or two might be counterproductive."

She nodded as she weighed the book in her hands. It was at least five hundred pages thick and more than a few pounds. Each one of the books in Ranma's hands was at least half as big. "How are you planning on taking this with us?" She asked.

Ranma's lips quirked and with a motion that seemed not-quite impossible the entire stack vanished. "Ki-pocket. Even with most of my closet in there I've got some room left."

The words 'most of my closet' went through Nodoka's head. Just how much was Ranma planning on taking for this trip? "Well, I'm not sure how much anatomy books might help. There are a lot of different humanoid species on Faerun." She explained.

Ranma blinked. "Like Dwarves?" She asked.

"And orcs, goblins, giants." Nodoka replied, "Elves. Tieflings can have weird biology at times I've heard. Comes with having Devil's blood I suppose."

"They can still get use out of it. Knowing one species will at least give them a starting point. I'll include a bunch on pharmaceuticals and vaccines and the like. Something explaining germ theory would probably be good as well." Her daughter frowned as she mumbled to herself, seemingly creating a list of books from memory.

"And you have enough room?" She asked again.

Ranma nodded. "These days I can carry a couple tons in my pocket without any problems. Don't normally need even a tenth of it though." She frowned. "Maybe I should just take all of them and figure out what they need when we get there."

"If it won't get in the way?" Nodoka asked.

Her daughter shook her head. "Not a problem."

Well… "Do you think you could carry a few things for me?" She asked.

"Of course." Ranma smiled eagerly.

"Let's start with going over what you are already bringing," Nodoka said, pulling out her own list. She paused. "And while we're on the topic of learning, I haven't asked about your grades recently have I?" She smiled as Ranma groaned.

"Mum!" Ranma sent her an annoyed look that seemed to say "Right now? Really?"

She snickered. "Come on." Her hand lashed out and she jabbed her fingers into Ranma's side, eliciting a startled, and very unmanly, squeak of surprise from her daughter. "Tell me."

"Muuuuum!" Ranma was now pouting at her at a bit more than arms length away. She sighed."Better than before," She said as she placed the textbooks into her ki-pocket.

"And better means?" She asked as Ranma opened up her pack.

"That I actually had time to study the week before the test." Ranma said, "unlike last time." She muttered something particularly unflattering about perverted old men.

"Then you got at least a ninety percent I assume? Though which course was this?" Nodoka asked as she leaned over to inspect the contents of the bag. Ranma pulled out the top layer of clothing and set it aside.

"History and it was a ninety-seven," Ranma said as she pulled out a toiletries bag from where it was squashed against the side of the bag. Nodoka noted the familiar looking white wrapper sticking up, but said nothing. "Math, about the same. English was a ninety-one. Like, I said, I actually had time to study for once. Last month was nice and quiet."

"It was." Nodoka agreed. For the Tendo Dojo the previous month had been almost dead quiet. Very few challengers, only a couple of silly plots, and there had been that incident with the turtle. "Sciences?"

Ranma paused with a box of granola bars in her hand. "Ninety-four I think?" She said after a moment. "I got docked a percent for arguing about how air-currents work."

"Why?"

Ranma shrugged and set the box of granola bars aside. "Teacher didn't think that my personal experience with tornadoes was applicable since they weren't 'naturally created'. I argued, he docked a couple points."

Nodoka frowned. This wasn't the first time Ranma had complained about that teacher over the last few months. Mr… Hanazuki wasn't it? She'd have to keep tabs on this when they got back.

Ranma finished setting aside the last bit of clothing from within the bag before starting on the pouches on its outside. "Everything else is about the same. Ninety-four, ninety-five ish." She said as she laid out a medical box from one of the pouches and popped it open. Nodoka made a few notes on her pad about what medications were in there. Most of it was pain medication like Motrin or Tylenol, but there was a solid selection of other over the counter medications for everything from nausea to heartburn as well.

More pouches were opened and their contents laid out before Ranma paused. "Um, do you want me to empty my Ki-Pocket? There's a lot in it." She asked.

"I need to know what you're bringing," Nodoka said with a raised eyebrow. She said it was barely used most of the time, so how much could it be? A lot, it turned out, as Ranma began to unload her ki-pocket and the piles of clothes, scrolls, medicine, medical equipment, weapons, rations, soap, other hygiene products, and a great many miscellaneous other items.

This, she decided as she started inventorying everything, was going to take a while.

It took a long while.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The day of departure was overcast. It had started sunny as they woke up, but by the time everyone had bathed, eaten, and gotten their things down to the door it was looking less like a nice summer day and more like a surprise thunderstorm. An idea reinforced by the distant rumbles of thunder. Still, they gathered outside in the yard.

Ranma had his bag at his feet as they gathered around. "Sure you want to stay?" He said jokingly to Akane.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine thanks. Sure you want to go somewhere full of magic and monsters?" She asked.

"Should be fun. Maybe I can find someone who can keep up for once." He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. Last night had left him feeling stiff for some reason. Probably the way he'd slept and despite trying to make the time there he hadn't been able to run through some proper stretches yet to work out the kinks.

"Well try not to break the castle. I'm sure Auntie would be really annoyed if you did that." Akane joked with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm taking Ryouga along." He scoffed. He had no idea where his friend and rival was. He hadn't been seen for nearly a month now, not even in his cursed form of a small black piglet. Not that Akane knew about that.

"And even when he's not here you have to poke fun at him." Akane sighed. "Do you have to do that all the time?"

Ranma just rolled his eyes. Ryouga spent enough time ambushing him, he could handle a few jabs just fine… sometimes. He was rather sensitive about that sort of thing. "He can handle it." He said with a shrug.

"Alright, gather 'round everyone." Blackburn called, interrupting their rapidly down spiralling conversation. Everyone in the yard; all the Tendo's, Saotome's, and Adventurers; gathered around the wizard in a semi-circle. "Right, everyone said their goodbyes yet?" He asked the three of them who were going.

"We've said our goodbyes." Nodoka said right before Soun looked to Nabiki with a frown and said, "Are you still sure you want to go?"

Ranma caught Nabiki rolling her eyes as she adjusted the straps of her large backpack. "I'll be fine Daddy." Nabiki said with a smile, "I'm with Ranma after all." Ranma sighed as Soun turned his burning eyes to him.

"She'll be perfectly safe," Ranma said in an effort to head off the inevitable appearance of the overprotective father's demon head technique. That thing was as terrifying as hell. "Promise."

"Dad," Akane said flatly.

Soun coughed into a hand in an effort to save some dignity. "Yes, well I just wanted to be sure. Safe travels and do keep my little girl safe Ranma." Ranma could hear the implication of painful death and possible dismemberment if he failed.

"Anyone else?" Blackburn asked as Ranma nodded to Soun. When no one interrupted he smiled. "Excellent. Now, I'll be opening a portal to Fort Tarankan. It's north of Neverwinter by about a day. Small place about two or three dozen men depending on the time of year. They have birds trained for flying to Neverwinter so we'll be able to send word ahead of us. As much as surprising them would be fun I think giving them the courtesy of a warning is best."

"And it'll give me some time to get reacquainted with proper magic," Nodoka said with a smile.

"That as well." Blackburn said, "Now I will be opening it with this." He held up a rolled up scroll. "The portal will last no more than thirty seconds. During that time you must enter or be left behind. I do not have a spare. Everyone understand?" Everyone nodded and Ranma picked up his pack, slipping his arms into the straps.

"Good. When I open it, run through." With that, he turned around and unrolled the scroll. The words he spoke were in no language that Ranma could identify. They sounded strange, echoing in the open air like it was a cathedral. Ranma could feel something stirring in the air as Blackburn continued. Then, with a crisp _snap,_ an ovular hole in reality appeared through which he could see what looked to be a muddy field with an overgrown palisade in the background. Blackburn turned to them, opened his mouth and with a loud _crackle-boom_ a sheet of water heavy enough to drench everyone fell out of the sky as it began to downpour.

The wizard coughed and hacked. "Go!" He shouted, running through himself. The other adventurers followed at a dead sprint.

Grumbling to herself as she readjusted the straps of her bag Ranma followed. Going from one world to another was a surprisingly sensationless experience. Much like with Jusenkyo there wasn't even a tingle as she ran through the portal. Though that may have been because she was already dealing with suddenly being soaking wet.

The other side of the portal was dry. Well, the air was dry and the sky above was clear, the ground was mud and puddles of water. It had clearly been raining not too long before.

Ranma's mother and Nabiki came through the portal. Nabiki was coughing and shaking her head. "Where did that come from?" She hacked as she shook herself off with an expression of disgust.

"The weather will be as it will be." Nodoka said with an amused smile as she pulled at her own silk shirt and pant legs. It had been odd seeing her mother come down the stairs that morning wearing something other than her usual kimono. "We'll dry fast at least." Ranma snickered at the dark look Nabiki shot them both. Ranma and her mother were both wearing silk as they preferred. Nabiki chosen clothing was, however, made from wool. They would be dry long before she would be.

"Eyes up." Blackburn said as the portal snapped out of existence. "Something's wrong here." Ranma stopped snickering and looked around. They had entered a muddy courtyard covered in grass and mud surrounded on three sides by a wooden palisade. The last wall was a five-story-tall stone tower. The palisade was overgrown with ivy and moss. There were a few holes in the walls where it looked like something had come crashing through. There was also a pile of what looked like it had been a building, possibly a stable, beside the tower. The tower itself looked weathered and chipped like it had been pummeled with thousands of small stones.

"Where is everyone?" Nodoka asked, one hand coming up to chest level. It was curled around something in a wax paper wrapping.

"Hello! Anyone present!" Formond shouted, "Greycloaks! Show yourselves! We're friends!" His voice boomed across the courtyard. A few birds in the distance twittered and flew away. They stood there for a moment before the dwarf shrugged. "I guess there ain't anyone home." He turned to Blackburn, "Now what?"

As the dwarf turned away Ranma spotted a flicker of movement in one of the windows. Before she could say a thing there was a flicker as a tiny crossbow bolt, nearly half the size of a normal one, streaked from the third floor of the tower and just barely missed Formond's shoulder before thwacking dully into the dirt and mud.

At the same time the door of the door flew open and a group of small scaled lizard-like creatures charged out hissing and screaming in what might have been a language. In their hands were crude wooden shields and equally crude clubs.

"Kobolds! Protect the Princess and her heir!" Mason shouted as she drew her blade. A bolt of fire leapt from Nodoka's hand as the swordswoman shouted. It crashed into the lead 'Kobold' and exploded. Flames and force scattered the creatures across the yard in burning pieces.

Ranma looked at her mother in surprise. The older woman was smiling as she wiped her hand off from the soot that had been left behind. "It has been far too long." She said before frowning. Another crossbow bolt flickered out of the window above, this time towards Nodoka. Ranma's hand lashed out, closing tightly around the shaft of the bolt, snapping it in twain. She tossed it aside and moved to stand in front of her mother. Another shot flew out from an arrow slit and Ranma brushed it aside with a finger. It sank into the wet earth with a thwunk.

"What was that?" Nabiki asked while Ranma was busy. Her eyes were wide, but her focus wasn't on the rain of burnt body parts like Ranma expected. Instead, she was staring at Nodoka as though she had never seen the older woman before.

"Fireball. A rather popular spell amongst any wizard of at least adequate skill level." Nodoka said smugly. It looked like rather powerful one as well. Those Kobolds had simply been blow to pieces in the blink an eye. The rain of blood and gore lasted for several seconds. It was almost unsettling to Ranma just how casually her mother had wiped out the crowd of lizard-like creatures.

"Formond, with me," Mason shouted as she charged for the building. Ranma considered following her, or over taking her and dealing with the creatures inside herself, but another volley of bolts aimed at her mother changed her mind. She was needed here.

"I'm with ya." The dwarf shouted. Their steel-shod boots thundered even on the muddy ground as they charged building. The last couple of kobolds were cut down out of hand as they thundered for the door. A kobold poked its head around the corner and squawked loudly as it saw the two heavily armoured figures charging the door in a dead sprint. The heavy wooden door swung shut and even from Ranma's position nearly thirty feet away she could hear a loud clunk as a heavy wooden bar was dropped into place.

Lady Mason rammed to door in a full charge. There was a loud crash of metal on wood as she bounced off. The door shook and dust fell from the stonework, but it held. Maybe she should have joined the charge.

"Out of the way lass," Formond shouted. Lady Mason stumbled aside just in time for the Dwarf to hit the door with the sort of force only a small, armoured, and frequently angry ball of muscle and steel could. The door shattered as he cannonballed into it. He disappeared into the darkness beyond where loud screams and hisses rang out. Lady Mason charged in and the sounds of battle were over in moments.

"Bottom floor clear." Lady Mason shouted, "Agatha, Malleth, get in here and hold the floor while we check the cellar." The two ran in, Agatha's hands already full of blades.

"We should take cover on the first floor for the moment Your Highness." Blackburn said to Nodoka, "Get away from the rain of bolts." As he said that his hand flashed and a bolt of flame intercepted another crossbow bolt.

"Let's head in." Nodoka agreed. Running, the group crossed the courtyard to the door. Their feet kicked up mud, mixed up from both rain and the fresh blood from the dead. Ranma scowled in disgust as the blood and mud squished around her feet, staining her shoes. What were these things? Why were they attacking? Really everything had turned into a complete mess the moment the portal had closed.

They ducked through the broken doorway and into a room that smelled of heavy rot, blood, and a musky scent she couldn't identify. Nabiki made a disgusted noise as they crossed the threshold, stepping over several corpses as they did so, into a pool of blood. They quickly moved to a relatively clear spot opposite the stairs.

Inside Malleth, the pointed eared man who Ranma had been told was a 'half-elf', had his bow out and pointed up the stairs. Beside him, Agatha had a handful of throwing blades out and held between her fingers. Her eyes were watching the shadows above, twitching every time something above shifted. Hisses and clicks could be heard above.

The room had once been an armoury. Racks for weapons were still mounted to the walls, some were even being used to hang clubs and crude shields. What might have been more racks in the center of the room were now little more than piles of broken and rotting wood scattered across the floor.

Malleth loosed an arrow at something the archer could see moving about up the stairs. "Another down, makes what? Ten, fifteen… seventeen I think? Not a small group." He said.

"Large group to have moved in here." Blackburn mused as he kept an eye out the front door. His hands moved in a strange pattern as he murmured something. The strip of brown leather he was holding in one hand shimmered and turned to dust while a small light flickered around him for a second before fading out. "Where is the garrison?"

Behind them, Lady Mason and Formond breached the cellar door and charged in shouting battle cries. Any sounds of battle within were short-lived and they soon emerged from the cellar before throwing themselves into the other two doorways leading out of the room on that floor.

"It has been thirty years." Nabiki said as she sent a disgusted look at a nearby kobold body. She inched away from it towards Nodoka. Ranma didn't blame her, the blood and offal smelled horrible. While the sight of the dead creatures didn't bother her as much as it might have if they had been human, but the casual death from the sudden battle still made her feel unsettled.

"Yes, but this is an important location. The fort here watches the road heading north to the towns and villages and eventually Luskan." Blackburn said. "The list of reasons to abandon it is minuscule. Looking at this room, with the rot and dust and debris, it must have been years ago. Certainly more than a decade now just judging by the state of the wood."

"Rooms are clear." Mason said as she and Formond left the last room. "There were some eggs down below. Made sure to smash them before coming up."

Blackburn sighed. "Made sure of it?" He asked.

"Double checked." Formond said, "Ain't going to be any more of these blasted lizards around here when we're done."

The Wizard sighed and muttered something. The only words Ranma caught was an annoyed, "Always smashing them." Shaking his head he pointed upward. "Get the upstairs cleared out. See if you can find out why these things are here and where the garrison is."

"Formond, lead us in." Mason said as she carefully approached the stairs.

The dwarf grinned as he mounted the stairs. "Just keep up will ya." With a roar in a language Ranma couldn't understand he ran up the stairs brandishing his sword. The rest of his group, excluding Blackburn, followed. The sounds of metal on wood, or on metal, echoed down along with screams and curses.

"What are these things?" Ranma asked as she crouched down to examine one very dead 'kobold'. Its guts had been spilled by a sword, either Lady Mason's or Formond's, and the smell alone was nearly enough to make her gag.

"Depending on who you consult, either small humanoids or small members of the dragon family." Blackburn said, "Not particularly bright, but they are rather clever in their own brutal way. As you can see not very advanced technologically. They're tribal by nature and tend to raid their neighbours for what they need. When they aren't being enslaved by Dragons anyway."

Ranma frowned. "So, they're sapient?" She asked. Killing something more than an animal always felt… bad when she had to do it. It took her weeks to stop having nightmares about the fight with Saffron. Weak nightmares mostly, but some had gotten…

"Yes. They're fully capable of independent decision making." Nodoka said as she frowned at the body. "Something's wrong here. Blackburn, we need to head to the city quickly once your people are done clearing out the tower."

He nodded. "Aye. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what else we can do but walk. With no idea of the situation in the City creating a teleportation circle and using it to get there could lead to us walking into a trap." He said.

A flicker of red light shone down the stairs. "Magic user! Malleth, shoot him!" Lady Mason shouted distantly. There were a few more flashes of light then a scream that was far too high pitched and hissing to be any of the team.

Blackburn didn't even look concerned. "Shouldn't be too much longer." He said while fishing inside his robes for something. Eventually, he removed a small locket with a gem set in it. Just visible in the light that spilled through the door was a small figure inside it, a Raven. He held it up and there was a flash and several long black feathers fell to the ground. A Raven had appeared from the gem, held up on one arm. "There we go Midnight, happy to be out again?" He said, petting the bird.

It fluttered its wings in something approaching an irritated shrug.

"Good, good." Blackburn continued on like it had spoken. "Head out, take a look around and come back to me. I want to know what the villages and farmstead around here look like. What sort of shape everything is in."

The Raven's head bobbed in acknowledgement before Blackburn stepped up to the door and tossed it out into the world. "She'll catch up in a few hours. Should give us a better picture of the area." He said.

They settled in to wait while the sounds above slowly, very slowly, faded away. Eventually they heard the sound of footsteps and Formond appeared at the top of the stairs, his armour stained with blood. He was wiping his blade clean even as he was walking down the stairs. The other three followed on his heels.

"Well, that was unexpected." He said as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"We found nothing, and the Kobold in charge didn't seem inclined to talk." Mason said with her own frown as she removed her helmet.

"That may have had something to do with the fact you crushed its windpipe," Malleth said blandly. "Try asking questions before you cripple them."

"It was casting magic." Mason replied simply, "However, I'll admit maybe I should have just broken its hands instead." She shrugged.

Ranma stared at the four of them. It was clear this sort of violence was not unusual to them. Then again, hadn't there been a mention of a Hydra when they first arrived? Compared to a beast like that these things were smallfry.

Nodoka sighed and shook her head. "Well, that leaves us with no answers." Her expression grew troubled. "We need to hurry to the city."

Formond sighed and found a seat on the steps. "Not that I'm contesting that getting back to the City isn't important Your Highness, but can we have a few minutes to catch our breath?" He asked.

"Go ahead. We'll leave in ten. And we're going to have to walk just to be safe." Nodoka sighed. The other three found seats for themselves and Mason look a drink from a stainless steel water bottle Nodoka had bought her while shopping at the mall. As Ranma watched Formond pulled a cloth from his bag and started to wipe the blood from his armour the best he could.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ranma caught Nabiki scowl and sigh. Evidently walking for an entire day was not to her liking. "You alright?" She whispered to Nabiki.

"What do you think Saotome?" She snarked quietly back, "We weren't even here for a minute before things went wrong. I am not looking forward to walking for an entire day." Her eyes, however, were fixed on the slowly expanding pool of blood leaking from the nearest kobold.

Ranma rolled her eyes before walking over to the door while Blackburn and her mother discussed possible reasons for an entire fort to have been abandoned. Names like Luskan and Thay were thrown around, but neither of them meant anything to Ranma so she stayed quiet. Instead, she stood in the doorway and looked out on this new world. The courtyard was a mess, and the palisade was overgrown, but over them she could see tall trees with fresh leaves and birds swooping from tree to tree in the distance. Despite being surrounded by the blood of a rather unexpected, and vicious, battle she could see some beauty in this world. She settled in to wait while watching the birds.

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Edit: Sleepy Kitsune forgot AN *sheepish kitsune* I hope you've enjoyed the story~ *Curls up with tails to nap*

Repost Edit: There have been alterations made to the last scene to better show Ranma's view on the situation.


	2. The Jewel of the North

This was not how things were supposed to be. Neverwinter was supposed to be safe, protected by its Greycloaks and Knights. This was… Nodoka looked out through the ground floor window at the broken and overgrown courtyard. This was not what she was supposed to come home to. Ranma stood nearby, watching her. She could see the concern on her temporary daughter's face.

She smiled reassuringly at Ranma, who just rolled her eyes and frowned more. Her son wasn't a child to be reassured by just a smile and a few words. Well, it wasn't like she was the one needing reassurance anyway. This sort of thing was, while rather more bloody, fairly similar to what Ranma went through during a normal week.

Nodoka's gaze turned to the other young woman in the group. Nabiki was not someone used to experiencing the chaos. While she had, even while Nodoka had been with them, been at the center of the occasional odd day this was more dangerous than what she was normally involved in.

"Your Highness," Blackburn said as he stepped up beside her.

"What is it?" She asked, turning away from the two younger girls.

"With your permission, I'd like to open a portal to our old base. Agatha can bring the other two teams through in the next couple days. The reinforcements should be helpful if things go wrong. And they still don't know we found you." He said, gesturing to the quiet woman who was standing behind him silently.

Nodoka nodded. "Without knowing what we're walking into, it is probably for the best," She paused and glanced over at Nabiki, "Can you do the same for Nabiki? This has gotten more dangerous than I'd prefer to bring her into." Nabiki was her responsibility since she had agreed to allow the girl to come with them.

To her disappointment, her old mentor shook his head. "I can only open one of these portals a day. A period of rest will be required before I can replicate the feat again. I'm sorry, but doing so before tomorrow morning would be difficult if not impossible."

She sighed but nodded. Casting high-level magics took something out of the caster that only time could restore. "I understand." She said, frowning.

"If I may, Your Highness," Blackburn said, "Sending Agatha is far more important than sending Miss Tendo home. We can protect her for a day of walking just fine. Sending Agatha for assistance could be the difference between life and death for all of us."

"I wouldn't worry about that too much Master Blackburn," Nodoka replied with a smile that she directed to her son turned daughter. The other redhead's attention had wandered and she seemed to be looking out the door again at something in the distance. Nodoka sighed. "However, you have a point. We don't know the situation in Neverwinter and people we can count on could be in very short supply." Hopefully, nothing horrible would happen before the next day. "Send Agatha." She ordered.

Blackburn half-bowed at the waist. "As you wish." He said before leading Agatha into the middle of the room where he began to chant while pulling items out of his pouches and making gestures in the air. In moments a tear in reality formed leading to a well-appointed lounge with hardwood floors. Agatha disappeared through it and it snapped shut behind her.

"Mum?" Ranma asked.

Nodoka looked back at her. "Agatha will be informing the rest of their people what is going on. They should follow in a day or two. Hopefully." She said.

Ranma nodded before glancing at Nabiki. "Um, what about…?" She gestured to the other girl who was preoccupied avoiding the rather large, and still expanding, pool of blood that was almost blocking the front exit.

"There is a limit to the number of times Master Blackburn can use that spell in a day, unfortunately." Nodoka sighed and her daughter nodded. "Well, we should get moving." She said loudly as Blackburn walked back across the room. Formond, Mason, and Malleth stood from where they were relaxing on the stone staircase.

"Mason," Blackburn said loudly, "lead us out."

The paladin advanced on the door and, shield held up, stepped out with her eyes raking the area. "Clear!" She shouted. Malleth followed her out and Ranma hopped over the blood pool as she left the room.

Taking care to avoid the pool of kobold blood Nodoka followed. Behind her, Formond and Blackburn were talking quietly about something as they skirted the pool of blood. Something, about the size of a coin purse, changed hands. The Wizard weighed it and made a comment that drew a chuckle from the dwarf before he picked up the pace.

The bright light of the afternoon was welcoming after spending the better half of an hour inside the dark and dank tower. The air was far fresher, especially since the bodies had already begun to smell… more than kobolds normally did anyway.

"Where to from here?" Mason asked as Blackburn stepped out of the tower.

"Down the hill. The road should run right by the base of the hill." He paused before pointing. "That way."

"I'll lead then," Mason said and everyone followed her out of the front gate.

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A Ranma ½ Forgotten Realms Crossover

The Crown of Neverwinter

By: Grounders10

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The Jewel of the North

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Walking for five hours was boring if you weren't used to it. It was an annoying fact of life for Ranma. She had spent entire months at a time on the road during her life. They had walked for three months on their way to Jusenkyo in China. It had been a very long walk. One that had seen them nearly arrested fifty-two times. It had made leaving China rather exciting when they finally left, even discounting Xian Pu's involvement.

Their walk from the abandoned outpost and down the road towards her mother's birth city was less exciting than travelling with her father. Less exciting, but certainly more tense. Her mother was constantly watching their surroundings as though she expected more of those creatures to jump out of the trees or fields on either side of the road. The group of adventurers had formed an escort around them. Lady Mason leading the way while Malleth and Blackburn covered the left and right respectively. Formond followed in the back, his blade sheathed and resting in his arms as he scanned the area around them.

Talk between them was short and to the point, again unlike her travels in China or around Japan with her father. While those long walks hadn't always been exactly pleasant, frequently being mixed with some insane training scheme of her father's, there had at least been conversation to help pass the time. This was just tense.

"Mum," Ranma asked as the sun dropped to what Ranma would consider mid-afternoon, "You said those were Kobolds."

Her mother spared a glance from where she was looking around them. "Yes. What about them?"

Ranma paused. "Did they have to die?" She asked. While she wasn't unused to violence there was a difference between the lunacy she was normally engaged in and the bloodbath that they had witnessed earlier. She could kill, she had before, but doing so had always been a last option sort of thing.

"Kobolds are a danger to any humans that live within several days of them," Blackburn said, taking a moment himself to look away from the field they were walking passed. "The official stance of Neverwinter is that all Kobolds within five days of a settlement are to be removed at the first opportunity. You can negotiate with them, but doing so can be difficult and there is little chance of any agreements lasting beyond the current chief. And even then we were already engaged with the creatures. Our chances of successful negotiation were essentially zero once they attacked us."

Ranma frowned but nodded. Her mother sighed. "Earth can be rather… exhausting." She said, "But it is safe. The area around Neverwinter is… was, as civilized as the north can get and yet at least once a year you will hear of a village getting attacked by ghosts, or demons, or some other unnatural force. I know Genma didn't teach you to kill, but not doing so is more of a luxury here than it was back in Japan."

Ranma sighed. "I figured that out." She said, her own eyes moving to scan the trees they were approaching on the road as the abandoned field ran out. "How common are things like Kobolds?" She asked.

"Depends on the region," Malleth spoke up from her left. The half-elf had his bow strung and ready for use, though all his arrows remained in the quiver. "Better patrolled areas rarely have Kobolds and the like, but some places don't have them because there's worse."

"Worse?" Ranma asked.

"Orcs fer one." Formond said, "Orcs, Goblins, Bugbears."

"Lizardmen, giants, trolls." Malleth continued as the dwarf muttered a variety of words Ranma suspected were quite foul in his language. "There's a lot of stuff that's a lot worse than Kobolds running around."

"But none of that is around here, right?" Nabiki asked. There was a distinct lack of reply from the adventurers.

Ranma rolled her eyes as Nabiki frowned and sent a worried look at the trees ahead. Now she was worried. Now, not earlier when they were getting attacked right away. "Nabs, it's been thirty years. Who knows what's around here." She pointed out.

"Don't call me that," Nabiki muttered in reply, but she fell silent.

"So, I can guess what a giant is, but what about the rest?" Ranma asked. The next few hours passed swiftly as the adventurers and her mother explained the many monsters and threats of the region. By the time Blackburn called a halt to make camp Nabiki was looking thoroughly uncertain for the first time in months. Whatever idea of hers that had led to her asking to come along had obviously not included dragons, trolls, or kobolds as potential issues. The amusement Ranma gained from the other girl's discomfort was, unfortunately, short-lived.

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Their campsite was in a clearing atop a small rise just off the main road. The tumbled remains of a wooden structure, possibly a watchtower, were scattered across half the clearing.

"There's a town not far from here," Formond said as he helped gather branches for the fire. "Good ale from the tavern there if I recall."

"You mean Splintwood?" Blackburn asked.

"Yeah, that place. Just another mile from here ain't it?" Formond said as he dropped his armful of sticks and branches beside Malleth who was assembling a firepit. "We'd have made it just after dark at the worst."

Ranma looked up from where she was assembling one of the tents as Blackburn sighed from where he was sitting with his familiar. "Because it's gone." He said grimly.

"What?" Ranma's mother whirled towards him from where she was pulling food out of her bag. Tins of canned food clattered back into the bag and a few rolled across the ground. Nabiki quickly grabbed them before they could roll out of sight. "We're around four hours until the City itself."

"And yet most of the town is in ruins." Blackburn replied, "Midnight flew overhead. There are a few houses still occupied on the south side, but most of the town looks like a war rolled through years ago."

Ranma drove the tent stake into the ground with her hand before standing up. "How many years ago?" She asked.

The wizard frowned, thinking hard. He lit his pipe with a flash of sparks and dragged on it. Midnight hopped off his arm and fluttered off to a nearby tree. He breathed out a plume of smoke. "Hard to say. I'm not exactly an expert of ruined villages." He said, "I'd have to put it around the same time the tower was abandoned. So at least a decade, possibly longer."

"A decade," Nodoka repeated. She swayed in place and Ranma darted over to her side. "Thank you, Ranma." She said as the younger redhead helped steady her.

Frowning, Ranma led her mother over to one of the logs and helped her sit down. She looked rattled. "Are you alright?" Ranma asked. Nodoka smiled faintly.

"I've been better." She said, "This was supposed to be a nice visit home, but now I can't help but wonder what state the city is in." Around the clearing, the others from Neverwinter shared grim looks. "We're mere hours from Neverwinter now, but even here the towns are nearly deserted. Why?"

"A question to be answered tomorrow." Blackburn said, "We'll be there by noon tomorrow. We can get answers from the King himself."

"Yes, yes, my father or my brothers can explain what happened." Nodoka massaged her forehead with one hand, seemingly trying to hide her distress.

"Assuming they're still alive." The words spilled out of Ranma's mouth before she could think to stop them. She winced as her mother inhaled sharply. That had probably not been the right thing to say. Even if it was a possibility.

"Y-yes." Nodoka exhaled sharply. "Assuming my siblings are still alive." She wiped a few tears from her eyes and Ranma privately berated herself. She didn't need to add to her mother's issues. "Ranma." She said.

"Yes?"

Nodoka took a calming breath. "Could you cook the meal? I'm afraid I'm not feeling up to it at the moment."

"Sure." It was the least she could do.

The next hour passed in grim and unpleasant silence as Ranma quickly finished setting up the tent before starting work on the meal. As the sun was setting her mother and Blackburn had once again moved to the side and were talking. Her mother looked tired and she couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't made it worse. She probably had made it worse with her comment. She scowled and sighed as she set a kettle to hang above the campfire, filled with water from a stream nearby. She had had enough of being a girl for now.

Dinner was ready as the kettle started whistling. She quickly yanked it away from the heat and set it aside to give it a few minutes to cool to a less painful temperature while she and Nabiki handed out bowls of heated and freshly spice canned soup.

"Aaaah." Formond sighed as he dipped his spoon back into the bowl for a second helping. "Perfect food for a chilly evening like tonight. I'd forgotten how cool it can get around here." He loudly slurped the soup, earning a disgusted look from Nabiki and a snort from the half-elf who was sitting on the log looking out at the forest around them, keeping what watch he could.

"Can you eat quieter?" Malleth snarked, "I'm sure if anyone finds us it'll be because they followed your ruckus."

The dwarf chuckled. "I've said it before, I'll say it again. Showing appreciation for good food comes first." He said though he did stop his loud slurping.

Ranma rolled her eyes as she tested the kettle with her palm. Long experience told her the kettle had cooled enough to be safe. She lifted it up and poured the kettle over her head. The water splashed down, soaking her hair and dampening her shirt. It was hot, not boil and blister your skin hot, but certainly hot enough that enough of it would have made a very nice bath. And definitely hot enough to undo her curse. Only…

Ranma paused as the water ran out and she looked down at her breasts, now highlighted by the clinging fabric of her shirt. With a rigid and shaky movement she set the kettle down on the folding table she had brought along. It clunked loudly.

"Ranma?" Her mother asked.

She took a deep steadying breath and sighed explosively. She was still a girl, not a guy. Her curse hadn't triggered the way it should have.

"Left the water out too long?" Nabiki snarked, "Should keep a better eye on it."

She shot the other girl a glare that saw her snap her jaws shut with a clack of teeth. "The water was hot enough," Ranma said curtly as she adjusted her soaked shirt. It would dry quickly enough, even in the chilly evening air. She turned to her mother who was looking alarmed. "It's just my curse isn't working." She said. She could feel tears of frustration gathering in her eyes, but she blinked them away, wiping those that didn't cooperate away with her fingers. Figure out why first, then complain.

Blackburn set his bowl down in the grass by his feet. He waved a hand to her. "Come, sit." He tapped the log next to him. "I'll take a look."

"I thought you needed a proper workshop?" Nodoka asked as Ranma hurried over and sat down beside the wizard.

"A proper workshop would let me leverage more ritualistic magics, but I can take a quick look. If it's obvious I might be able to do something about it." He scowled, "I should have made time to take a look back in Nerima."

Ranma sat down next to him. "What're you going to do?" She asked warily. Sure he was friendly, but magic was magic and there had never been a time when it hadn't taken an opportunity to screw with her. Like how her curse was behaving right now actually.

"Just going to take a few… feelings shall we say. Now sit still." He raised a hand to her forehead and… She felt something as he hummed, his hand moving across her body, never touching it. His other hand seemed to poke and prod at nothing, when it wasn't pulling small items from pockets or fishing through said pockets for who knew what. "Strange." He muttered.

"What?" Ranma asked, almost bumping into his hand. He gave her a warning look and she stopped moving, however she gave her best look annoyed look in exchange. It washed off him to no effect.

After what had to be at least ten minutes, during which she had eaten her own bowl of soup once he had moved on from her upper body, he leaned back with a sigh and a frown. "Well?" Ranma and her mother asked at the same time. She shot her mother a look but the older redhead was just looking at the old wizard with a very tired and worried expression... She actually seemed to be more worried than Ranma felt.

Getting locked had happened so many times; either through circumstance preventing her from getting or using hot water or via some direct manipulation of her curse like with the ladle; that she had just gotten jaded about it. She had long since stopped breaking down when it happened, especially since it never seemed to last very long before she found a cure. For her mother though… Well her mother had invested a lot in her being a guy. That stupid seppuku contract that she'd accepted had made that clear enough.

Blackburn sighed, breaking Ranma's thoughts, and he fished out a ring-bound notepad and a ballpoint pen. "Give me a couple of minutes. I found the curse, but I need a few minutes to think on this." He said as he flipped to an unused page and started scribbling things down while muttering to himself.

Ranma waited, fidgeting nervously as the Wizard went about whatever passed for 'magic studies'. This was, despite her previous assertion, rather nerve-racking. Cologne had certainly had plenty of knowledge, but the way Blackburn was quickly filling page after page of the notebook made it clear that there was a difference between someone who dabbled and a master of the arcane.

"I don't mean to rush you, Master Blackburn," Nodoka began as she leaned over his shoulder to see his work.

"However, you would like me to rush." He finished for her, sending her a glance. "You're in my light." He added.

Nodoka leaned back and Blackburn continued writing. After a few minutes, he sighed and paused in his notetaking. "This, I've never seen anything like this." He said with a tone that was at once frustrated and excited. "Most curses I've seen are one and done deals. Even those that have ongoing effects are no more complicated than conjuring fire at the end of it. This though…" He shook his head before flipping back through the pages.

"Let's start from the top. There are three parts to this curse. Most only have one. There's the transmutation itself. Very standard from what I can tell, though rather potent. It's the other two parts which I find interesting. From what I can tell the transmutation part, in your case shifting you into a girl, is intended to be permanent. Someone, at some point, decided to change that and tacked on two additional bits somehow. The bindings between these spells are incredibly complex. It'll take me weeks, maybe months to figure them all out."

He pointed to a page covered in what appeared to be equations. "The second spell is intended to suppress the first, but it is by itself too weak to do so consistently. That's where the third spell comes in. It ties the second spell, which unless I miss my guess was never intended to be used to 'suppress' merely instead it was meant to permanently counter weaker spells. Anyway, it ties the second spell to an external source of power. I can't say what that source is, however. I would need more time. However, that third spell is the issue."

Ranma stared at him for a long moment. That was the most thorough explanation of her curse she had ever received, and it had taken him maybe ten minutes to do it.

"And what is the issue?" Her mother asked before she could get her thoughts in order.

"It's tied to nothing right now," Blackburn said bluntly.

Formond scowled from his seat. "So it's got nothing powering it then?" He asked as he stood, taking his bowl over to the pot of soup.

"Exactly." Blackburn sighed. "As far as I can guess the back and forth change of the curse must be caused by turning the power of the suppression spell on and off. This curse is complex, however, and I can't say for certain I'm not missing a part of it. Right now even if you expose it to the right trigger it has no power. I've read of spells like this before and what happens when they lose their source of power."

Ranma closed her eyes and sighed. "Whatever it was is probably back home." She said with a scowl.

"More than likely." The wizard nodded. "In my readings about spell forms of this nature I discovered that it is not uncommon for them to break when crossing from one world to the next. Especially if the portal you used closes and severs the path of least resistance." He frowned. "This is entirely my fault."

Nodoka looked away from Ranma, who she had been staring at. "Master Blackburn, you didn't know there could be complications. Neither of us could." She said.

He shook his head. "I should have examined Ranma's curse the moment you brought it up." He paused, then amended his words. "Well, once we had been given lodging anyway. As a servant of the Crown, it is my responsibility to account for the strange arcane events that may occur. I failed to consider that Ranma's curse would be any more complex than any other curse I've encountered in the past." He flipped through his notes before running a hand over Ranma's forehead again.

"It's like two different sources were responsible for the curse." He said, "The first feels divine in nature. Like something, a god may have done while the other… Non-divine, more like my own skills." His frown was puzzled as he flipped through the pages of notes.

Ranma rubbed her brow with one hand. "Can you do something about it?" She asked.

"Possibly." He said, "Not get rid of it I don't think. I am a skilled Wizard, however, this magic is of a level beyond even my own skills. Fixing it, however…" He tapped the recapped pen to his chin. "It would take time to study it and I believe I would need to get some assistance from some colleagues… assuming they are alive. I could try and tie it into the weave itself for power. That connect may make it impossible for the spell to function back in your homeland, however. It is entirely possible that all you have to do is go home and the spells will begin functioning as intended once more."

"So just go home, transform, and come back?" Ranma asked. That wouldn't be too bad if it worked.

Her mother sighed and shook her head. "No." She said, "Even if it does reconnect back on earth it would still disconnect when you arrive back here and that would stop the suppression effect immediately." She scowled.

Ranma winced. "Which would lead to me turning into a girl right away." She said.

"Exactly." Nodoka scowled. "I had hoped to introduce you as my son rather than my daughter…" She sighed, "Well, I suppose I'll simply have to explain the situation then." She glanced at Blackburn who winced.

"My knowledge is at your command, your highness." He said, bowing at the waist. She nodded a stiff acceptance.

"So what now?" Ranma asked as she slid off the log to sit on the ground. This mess was draining her energy quicker than their five-hour walk.

"We wait." Blackburn said, "I cannot open a portal tonight, and even tomorrow we may need it later so opening one to test your curse would be… unwise in my opinion. Fixing it would require, as I said, weeks or months of study just to ensure I don't make the situation worse. And it may even be entirely pointless since the spells may well work when you go home."

"So, I'm stuck," Ranma said.

"For the moment." Blackburn agreed grimly.

Ranma sighed and leaned her head against the log. Some days she really hated her curse. This was one of them. Her eyes had closed again as the exhaustion from this mess took hold.

"Well…" Nodoka paused as Ranma opened a tired eye. "At least something can be done about this." She sighed, "I suppose I will just have to settle for a daughter for the moment."

Ranma blinked at her mother who seemed almost… amused? Yes, that was a very mischievous smile her mother was sending her way. Why was she smiling like that? And why did it make her so nervous?

-0-0-0-0-0-

Ranma took the first watch. It was unusual for there to be a watch at all in her experience. Neither Japan nor China had bandits or other dangers worth setting a watch for. This world, however, was far less civilized and even this close Neverwinter setting a watch was only good sense Blackburn had said. Even if they didn't have concerns about the state of the City and its patrols.

For Ranma taking the first watch meant she had more time to wear herself out before she ventured into the realm of dreams. The more tired she was the more likely she'd just sleep through the night without having a nightmare. Getting locked for any reason always brought up her old fears. Dreams of being forced to marry Kuno or Mr. Tendo, or committing seppuku tended to crop up at times like this and their threat was enough to dissuade her from sleeping despite how tired she felt. A few hours of lost sleep would be better than an entire night's lost sleep.

So she practiced, her back to the fire as she flowed from form to form to form, all the while keeping her eyes on the trees around them. She really hoped it would stay quiet, running into a troll or something like it would just be the perfect way to capstone a shitty day.

She wasn't alone as she practiced, however. While the rest of their group had sought sleep in the pair of tents they had erected, one for the men and one for the women, Lady Mason had volunteered to share the first watch. "You can't look everywhere at once." She had said. Not that she seemed to do much looking. The older woman had taken to her knees with her sheathed blade jammed half-way into the dirt before her and begun to pray quietly. Then her hands, wrapped around the hilt of her sword, began to glow with a soft warm golden light.

Ranma had stopped to stare for a moment before eventually returning to her practice. This was a world of magic where demons, dragons, and even gods were just a fact of life. Not so different from Nerima really. Though back home tended towards Oni, Ghosts, and ancient cursed artifacts rather than Gods and Dragons.

After nearly an hour Lady Mason stopped and the soft glow faded. She sighed and sat back. "It's quiet so far." She said.

Ranma paused, her fist outstretched in the 'face' of an imaginary opponent. "Hopefully it stays that way." She said as she adjusted her shirt and wiped the sweat from her brow. "Another fight like earlier would suck." Normally she loved a good fight, but that had been a bloody slaughter not a… 'friendly' fight.

The older woman hummed quietly. "Tell me." Lady Mason asked, "Have you ever fought in a battle where your only options are life or death before?"

Ranma's thoughts went back six months to their last incident in China. Killing Saffron was not a memory she enjoyed bringing up. "I have." She admitted, "But that was when I ran out of options."

Mason nodded. "And earlier today was nothing like that." She sighed. "We told you a bit about how to recognize many of the monsters and darker races of our world today. Perhaps we should have spent a bit more time explaining Kobolds."

"We have time now," Ranma said, taking a seat on a log by the older woman.

"Some time anyway. Just make sure to keep an eye out while we talk." Mason reminded her, "Now, Kobolds are both complicated and simple. Complicated because they are sapient and like all sapient races their personalities and goals run the full gamut of possibilities. I've met an erudite Kobold who traded in knowledge. Both secret and not. I've seen a Kobold who worshipped Torm like I do, and served as his cleric in that city. On the other hand, I've seen kobolds like those we encountered today. I've seen many like those of today."

She paused for a moment, listening before shaking her head. "Anyways, while you can get scholars, priests, and merchants out of Kobolds most are like those we encountered earlier. Tribal, vicious, and predatory. Most Kobolds worship Tiamat or other dark deities. They prey on the surrounding regions looting and stealing what others make because in their blood flows that of dragons, and Dragons take what they desire." She said those last words with utter disgust. She spat on the ground and scowled. "I've seen entire villages burned to the ground by large tribes of Kobolds all because of their greed. Today's was small thankfully. I doubt they'd been there long so hopefully, we dealt with them before they could start pillaging the region."

"Not that there seems to be much left anyway," Ranma observed grimly as she turned that lecture over in her head. This world, and the other worlds that they had visited, as far less civil than Japan. While Japan had monsters, gods knew she had killed or driven off more than a few over the last few years, they were anomalies… outside of Nerima anyway. Sometimes she had to wonder if the place just had a permanent 'live in interesting times' thing going on. Anyway, while Japan had its monsters it hadn't experienced the sort of horrific slaughter by such creatures that Lady Mason was speaking of… not in centuries at least.

"No, there is not." Lady Mason agreed. "Something has happened and it worries me greatly. Neverwinter is the Jewel of the North, a city of tens of thousands whose lands stretch for over a hundred miles in all directions. It is the only source of civilization this far up the Sword Coast. If something has happened to it…" She clasped her hands together. "Oh Torm, Lord of Justice let my fears not be true."

"Who is Torm?" She asked. That had sounded like a prayer.

"You don't- of course you don't know. You are not of this world." Mason said, shaking her head. "Torm is the God of Justice, courage, and self-sacrifice. I am one of his paladins. I take his light into the darkest places of the world where the monsters dwell and justice is sparse. He grants me the strength to do so as long as I hold true to my convictions and his tenents."

"Is that related to the glowing earlier?" Ranma asked. How literal was the whole 'granting strength' thing?

"A glow can appear when praying, yes," Mason confirmed. She pulled her sheathed blade from the ground and pulled a cloth from her pack to wipe off the leather sheath. "Not always mind you, but fervent prayer can incidentally draw out my lord's power."

The older woman paused. "I was praying for the city and…" She sighed. "I am not confident about what we will find there."

"He talks to you?" Ranma asked. A god that actually spoke to their followers when they prayed? Shinto gods sent messengers, or omens when they needed to communicate. Direct contact was rare even at the best of times.

"He does." She paused in wiping down her sword. "Formond, Blackburn and even Malleth have a god or two they pray to frequently. Who do you pray to?"

Ranma frowned and leaned back. "Well… I'm Shinto. We don't really pray to one Kami above others. Though I was accidentally certified as a Miko at an Inari Temple. When I pray it's usually to them."

"A… Miko?" Mason repeated, "I'm not familiar with the term."

Right, Miko was a Shinto term only. "A Miko is a Priestess. Most are assistants at a temple or shrine who help with rituals or help clean and maintain the shrines. These days at least. Centuries ago they were far more important."

Mason nodded. "I see. I wouldn't have taken you for a religious person."

"I've spent time at a few temples here and there." Ranma shrugged.

The older woman nodded and raised an eyebrow at her. "So how does someone become a shrine priestess accidentally?" She asked.

Ranma snorted. "By not realizing you're taking the exam." She said wryly, "It's my mother's fault I wound up taking it anyway."

"Oh?" The older woman sounded intrigued.

"This old priest my mother knew called the dojo a few months ago. He needed help with running the temple while some of his assistants took some time off. He wanted mother come by and help him but…" She shrugged.

"She didn't feel like it, I assume," Mason said.

Ranma nodded. It had been rather annoying, having happened right at the start of spring break. "I was told to help out and wound up spending a bunch of time at the shrine. When the old priest who ran it found out I turned into a girl." She snorted, "He insisted I spend my time there as a girl since 'pretty girls bring in more people and more people means money for the shrine.' So I spent the next month playing the role of a Miko."

"About a week into it he asked me how I knew so much about how a Shrine of Inari functioned. I told him it wasn't the first time I'd helped out at a shrine over the years. Pops left me at a few during our trip. About once a year on average for at least two weeks. Usually no longer than three. You pick things up."

"The old man's attitude changed after that. Before he'd been a bit… he was a dirty old man. Most of the priests I've run into are for some reason." She frowned. There had to be something in the water around those shrines. "The looking type so I didn't have to break any bones at least. He got a lot more serious after I told him though. He kept showing me new rituals or having me take on new tasks. Day before his assistants would have returned was this big ritual that shrine did ever year. A celebration of a priest who was enshrined there as well."

"A priest?"

Ranma nodded. "Shinto shrines are dedicated to one Kami over all others, but others can be enshrined there as well. Minor Kami or other spirits. I can't remember why that priest had been enshrined there, but it's not that strange. The Tendo's have their mother enshrined in their Inari shrine in the Dojo." She said.

"In the-" Mason paused, thinking. "The woman in the picture on that mantle in the dojo?"

"Yes. That's Mrs. Tendo. If you'd looked close you'd see the foxes carved into the frame. Things like that aren't unusual in Shinto. You'll see it in shrines to Amaterasu, or Susano, or Tsukuyomi or others. I'm only really familiar with shrines and temples to Inari, however. I've never helped out at any of the other ones."

"So you took part in this ritual?" Mason prompted.

Ranma smiled. "Yep. He showed me what to do the day before and said I'd be leading it. There were Priests and Mikos from other shrines and temples there that day. When everything was done I was informed that I had passed the test to be a Miko. I was really, really annoyed with that old idiot." She fiddled around in her ki pocket and pulled out the certificate they had given her. She passed it to Mason who fished out a pair of glasses from her pack. She slipped them on and looked over the certificate.

"So you're a Priestess of Inari then," Mason said.

Ranma shook her head. "Nope. I'm a certified Miko sure, but I've never talked to a god or goddess. They exist - too much evidence otherwise in my life. But when I pray I don't hear someone talking back to me." She may not have wanted to be a Miko, but would it have killed _someone_ to have replied when she prayed? At least once? At least the priests said that was normal so it wasn't too embarrassing. She sighed. "Not that anyone else seems to get a response these days."

"Your gods don't speak with you?" The Paladin asked, surprised.

"I asked the priests doing the exam. It's been decades since anyone has been able to confirm a divine response to a prayer. A vocal one anyway. Omens are common enough, but no one hears from the major Kami personally anymore."

"I see…" Lady Mason handed back Ranma's certificate and she pocketed it. "That is… I can't imagine a world where my lord wouldn't respond to my prayers." She opened her mouth to continue and paused as Ranma heard a small 'crick-snap' from within the trees.

Ranma was on her feet immediately, spinning to face the woods. Quietly she cursed herself. Her night vision was ruined because they had been facing the fire as they talked. The woods out passed the fire might as well have been swallowed by tar for all she could see. Beside her Lady Mason drew her blade, the ring of metal being drawn echoed through the clearing.

"Show yourself!" The Paladin shouted.

The bushes rustled and Ranma glanced about as her night vision slowly started to come back. It was still darker than she'd like, but the glow of the fire did a good enough job of lighting the clearing. Now that she was looking she could see three more places where the brush was moving against the wind.

"At least four spots." She whispered as the rustling stopped.

"That's two more than I spotted," Mason replied, subtly shifting her grip on her sword as she glanced about. "Check on the others, make sure nothing snuck up on them while we were talking, and get them up, go." She ordered.

"They might try and jump you while I'm getting them." Ranma pointed out.

"They will. Go."

Ranma was tempted to argue further. From what she'd seen earlier she was a better fighter than the Paladin, but that would waste time and the tents covered nearly a third of their view. If whatever was out there was hostile it was entirely possible that there were more behind the tents. If they were, well they could have very well slipped into the tents from the back.

Ranma turned and ran back towards the tent. When she did so a roar went up from the trees. She spared a glance backwards. From the bushes around the clearing over a dozen large humanoid figures charged out. Each was hulking with broad shoulders, greyish skin, and a hunched over appearance. Fangs jutted from their lower lips. They all wore furs and were brandishing mostly a mixture of two-handed weapons. Clubs, greatswords, and spears alike were brandished as the lot of them charged forward with a wordless warcry.

"ORCS!" Mason shouted, charging forward. "FOR TORM!" She bellowed, crashing shoulder first into the lead orc. The beast was knocked on its ass as the Paladin spun on her feet and brought her sword around in a swing that separated one of the other orcs from their head.

Ranma turned away and booked it for the closest tent, the one where the men were sleeping. She was half-way across the camp when there was a flash from inside and an orc came flying out of the tent, followed by Formond brandishing his sword. He plunged the blade into the orc's chest with a squelch of blood and breaking bones.

The Dwarf looked up from the twitching orc. "We got this, get ta yer mother." He shouted, catching his helmet that Malleth tossed him as the half-elf stepped out of the tent.

Ranma changed course towards Nabiki and Nodoka's tent. She hopped the fire, scattering embers in her wake. The sounds of battle rose behind her as steel met steel and the crackle of flame roared from the other tent towards the edge of the clearing. The explosion that followed was more than loud enough to wake even the deepest of sleepers. A fact confirmed by the flap of her mother's tent flying open as Nodoka strode out, wrapped in a robe and with a crystal rod clutched in her off-hand and a belt of pouches tossed over one shoulder. Without breaking stride, a single hand came up and a ray of chilling blue light leapt from it to strike a charging orc in the chest. It stumbled, clutching at the frost that covered its chest. An arrow pierced through its hand into its chest and the orc toppled to the ground with a look of disbelief.

"Ranma." Her mother nodded to her. "How many are there?" She asked.

"No idea." Ranma cast about. Mason was duelling a trio of large orcs, all of whom were trying to circle her warily while nursing injuries. Another lay dead nearby. Formond and Malleth were clearing out several more orcs who had tried to sneak around their tent. Five more were circling the fire in a sprint, their eyes locked on Ranma and her mother. One of them snarled something at them.

The rod in her mother's hand came up as Nodoka plucked a tuft of fur from one of her pouches. Words Ranma didn't recognize poured from her mother in a torrent before with a _crack-bang _the world was briefly lit up by a blue-white bolt of lightning that passed through the first three orcs running towards them. Their scorched, smoldering corpses rolled to a stop beside the fire as the next two orcs stumbled to a halt in shock.

Ranma leapt the distance, crossing ten feet in an arc that terminated on the face of the first orc. It went flying across the clearing, bouncing and tumbling as it went, until it crashed heavily into a tree and disappeared into the brush. Ignoring the thoroughly dead orc, Ranma spun on her heel and planted her fist into the side of the second orc. Its arc of flight was shorter, but no less brutal as it rolled to a stop halfway to the brush.

More orcs came rushing out from behind the tents. On the far side of the camp Formond shouted something in another language and shoulder checked a pair of orcs into each other. That group was handled in moments by the dwarf and half-elf.

A trio of orcs ran out from behind the girl's tent. Nodoka reacted before Ranma could, firing a glowing blue orb into the chest of the first. The orc fell back, ice crawling across its body in moments before it crashed to the ground and shattered like glass. The two beside it roared in fury and turn on Ranma's mother. Their weapons, a crude iron sword and a steel great axe, came down at her.

They crashed down onto Ranma's open palms. The blades were dull, but even if they had been sharp the hands wielding them were far too weak to harm her. She gripped the weapons and pulled, twisting them as she yanked the orcs off their feet. She elbowed the owner of the great axe as he fell forward, bouncing him towards the ground. She kept ahold of the weapon. Letting go of the sword she struck the other orc over the back of the head with the flat of the great axe. He collapsed blood foaming from his lips.

As Ranma turned to the other orc, who was struggling to its feet with weak breath, a thin white light passed over her shoulder and caught it in the side. With a gurgle of pain the orc collapsed. Ranma glanced back at her mother. The older redhead nodded, breathing heavily as she smiled grimly.

They stood there for a moment before the silence became obvious. Ranma looked around. Formond was standing over a pile of dead orcs, as was Mason. The Paladin was surrounded by nearly as many dead orcs as there had been in the rest of the camp. Blood soaked her armour and clothes.

"Well," Malleth spoke up from where he was crouching by a dead orcs in heavy plate, "This was an exciting way to wake up."

"Barely a warm-up," Formond snorted. The dwarf fished out a cloth and began wiping down his sword. "Not the most capable orcs we've ever seen. Remember that group in Witner?"

The half-elf nodded as he pulled a small coin purse from the hip of the orc. He untied it and poked at the coins within. "Interesting. Waterdeep coinage mostly," He said, "I'm not seeing the eye on any of these- nevermind. It's on a few coppers. Rather old coins though."

"A strange thing for an orc around here to carry," Blackburn said as the old man cast about. He muttered something and made a few gestures with his hands before nodding. "That's all of them."

"Wonderful," Mason sighed, unhooking a bloodstained shoulder pad. "Tell me we have some water on hand. I need to get this blood out of my armour before it starts drying." A few chuckles rolled through her older companions.

Ranma turned away. Something was bothering her. "Where's Nabiki?" She asked.

"Here." Nabiki poked her head out of the girl's tent. "Is it safe yet?" She asked, looking down at the bodies nearby with distaste.

"Safe enough," Blackburn said as he walked across the camp.

Nabiki cautiously stepped out of the tent. She was wrapped in a sleeping bag. Her eyes kept twitching from flickering shadow to flickering shadow. "There aren't any more of those things? Right?" She asked.

"They are gone, though we'll need to see about disposing of the corpses properly," Blackburn sighed.

"We'll get on that," Formond said loudly before he patted Malleth on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get this done quickly."

"Speak for yourself," The archer sighed, but followed the dwarf's lead. They started dragging the bodies out of the campsite.

Ranma's mother hummed thoughtfully as she watched with crossed arms. She looked worried, angry, and perhaps a bit nervous. "We need to get a move on," Nodoka said at last, "We cannot stay here."

"Here should be fine for the night Your Highness," Blackburn said formally, "I doubt there is another group as large as this one around. Or even one smaller."

"It's not our safety that I am worried about," Nodoka replied, her head turning in the direction of the city. She was worried about them.

"Our presence has been missed for decades. A few more hours will make no difference, but the rest we gain could prove to be instrumental in dealing with whatever awaits us," The older wizard politely rebuffed.

The two stared at each other for a long tense moment broken only by the grunts of Formond and Malleth as they wrestled the bodies out of camp.

"Mum," Ranma spoke up. Both of them looked at her. "I'm fine to go on, and they probably are as well, but do you think Nabiki is ready for another long walk this soon?" She sent a pointed look at the other girl.

Nabiki picked up on it immediately. "Nooo, nope. My feet still hurt from earlier," She complained, dancing from foot to foot. She gave Nodoka what Ranma recognized as her best 'take pity on me' look. Ranma had grown mostly immune to the look, but her mother easily fell for it.

Nodoka's look softened. "Of course. You are right," She sighed, "We will wait for morning. For Nabiki's sake if nothing else. We'll start walking after breakfast then." She stretched. "I am going back to bed then. Blackburn, get everything cleaned up and organized for tomorrow. Staggered watch shifts." With that Nodoka guided Nabiki towards the girls' tent.

Ranma watched them go, sagging with sudden exhaustion. She looked at the nearby dead bodies. There was a smell in the air now, a foul cloying reek that raked the nose and turned the stomach. It made her feel queasy.

"Ranma," Ranma looked up from the bodies to see Blackburn standing before her. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine," Ranma waved him off, "Just tired."

The old wizard nodded. "Then perhaps it is time for you to get to sleep," He nodded to the tent her mother and Nabiki had gone into. "We will take the rest of the shifts for tonight."

Ranma nodded and turned for the girls' tent, which her mother had insisted on her using after the situation with her curse came to light. "Good night then," She yawned.

"Good night Princess."

The words were so quiet it took a moment for Ranma to process them and when she did, she stopped and turned back to the old wizard with a protest on her lips. It died as she spotted him already across the camp debating something with Mason who was stripping off her armour's outer plates. She watched them for a minute. A strange, unwelcome weight seemed to drop into her stomach. 'Princess'. Her mother was a princess. Assuming she had not been disowned.

Over the last few days, she hadn't bothered to give the topic much thought, instead electing to help her mother pack. Going to visit family she had never known about seemed like a great adventure. A, hopefully, nice change of pace from the frantic madness of Nerima. It had also done an excellent job of burying the implications of what her mother being royalty meant for her.

And now she was, for the moment, stuck as a girl. Temporarily of course, hopefully. Everything they had encountered so far made it clear that nothing was good or fine with Neverwinter. The area around it, which should have been safe, was not. In the absolute worst case…

Ranma turned away and started her walk to the tent. In the worst possible situation, their family here was dead. That left Ranma's mother as the next in line, in theory. Which… which… Did that mean Ranma was, herself, now the heir?

As she ducked into the tent she shivered. The night's air was not cold.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Their party could not get moving fast enough for Nodoka's tastes the next morning. It was not that there were delays, or that things had gone wrong. Merely, instead, that Nodoka was herself feeling rather anxious. Like a student heading in knowing the big test was that day, or a soldier waiting for the battle to start. It was the sort of anxiousness that ate at your energy and haunted your sleep.

So it was that some thirty minutes after sunrise, their party hit the road to Neverwinter. Her home. More than the house she had lived in while waiting on Genma. More than any of the many realms she had passed through during her run away. Neverwinter was her home, and the thought of it being in trouble was terrifying in an indescribable way. It was that same fear which had sent her running away in the first place.

It was a much more sombre group who walked down the road that morning. Lady Mason led the way down the dirt road, her head twisting from side to side as she scanned the brush on either side of the road. Malleth had gone ahead of them while Formond insisted on bringing up the rear of their group. Nabiki was, understandably, hanging close to Ranma. Her temporary daughter was a familiar pillar of protection to the middle Tendo. It was why Nodoka herself was hanging by the younger redhead.

The chatter and discussion of the day before was entirely absent leaving them to march under a blanket of silence. Paranoid eyes raked trees and overgrown bushes that intruded on what should have been a well-tread dirt road. The roads for a hundred miles around Neverwinter should have been clear of obstruction. Maintained and patrolled by the Greycloaks at all times of the year. That they, within hours of Neverwinter, were finding trees and bushes growing out of the roadway… It was disturbing how flourishing trees could speak so easily of a decaying kingdom.

Teeth clenched, Nodoka walked past the bushes, her hands checking the pouches of spell materials that she had put on the night before. They hung from her hips by a belt she hadn't worn since she arrived in Japan. It had been a surprise that it still fit her at all. Everything was secure, just as it had been the last five times she checked. She stifled a nervous sigh. Every step closer to Neverwinter seemed longer than the last. Anxiety was eating at her mind. Was her father safe? Were her siblings?

Even as weighed down upon by worry as she was, they quickly reached the end of what had once been well-tended fields. Trees stretched far off to either side and the path led beneath the canopy.

Malleth was waiting for them by the trees. He waved as they came into sight. "About time," He said as they joined him. "Splintwood is another five minutes in. It's safe by the looks, but the place is… It's a mess, Your highness," He directed to Nodoka.

She nodded. "Blackburn said as much," She said, doing her best to not appear too worked up. She had to wonder how well she was succeeding given the worried glances Ranma kept sending her.

"Is it safe enough to traverse?" Blackburn asked. His voice was as stiff and tense as she felt. Worry for the city no doubt.

"Enough I'd say. No idea who you saw last night, but the place is deserted as far as I can tell," Malleth replied.

Blackburn nodded and turned to her. "Splintwood is the quickest way into town. I had hoped to get news from the people I saw last night, but I suppose we shall simply have to pass through quickly."

"Then lead the way," Nodoka ordered. Malleth saluted then turned and led the way.

As the group followed Blackburn slid up beside her. "I know there were people there last night, something strange may be going on in this town," He told her.

"Something to worry about later. The city first, then the towns around it," Nodoka whispered back. The older wizard nodded and stepped forward, taking a place in front of Nodoka and Ranma. It was, perhaps, a bit cold to not investigate whatever was wrong with the town, but the City and her family took precedence. Still, she had to wonder what had happened. Depopulated towns, abandoned guard towers, a complete lack of patrols or road maintenance. What had happened? Were they going to find that Neverwinter had joined Myth Drannor in the annals of history?

A chill seeped into her spine and refused to leave as they reached the edge of the town.

The first building was a half-collapsed ruin overrun with ivy, grass, and a single tree poking up through what had been the roof. Nodoka's eyes never left it as they passed. Then, past a thin copse of trees, they reached the next structure. It had once been a smithy if the rotting sign hanging from one rusted chain by the frame of what had been the front door was to be trusted. The rest was gone. A ruin overrun by shrubbery and grass.

Even as the road passed from dirt to cobbled stone things did not improve by much. Buildings were missing, or half-toppled. Grass and ivy covered everything in a leafy-green blanket that appeared to be trying to swallow history one inch at a time.

Eventually, they reached a large square at a crossroads. Surrounded on all sides by fallen buildings the small garden that surrounded a silent fountain in the center was overgrown. She paused by the fountain, bringing the entire group to a halt.

"Mum?" Ranma asked, stepping up beside her. She looked away from the wrecked fountain to the younger redhead.

"This place isn't as safe as I was expecting," She said after a moment of silence. The words felt heavy, leaving her lips with the greatest of effort.

"We'll be fine," Her daughter, for the moment, said. Her hand came to rest on Nodoka's upper arm.

Nodoka smiled and patted her daughter on the hand. They would be fine. Blackburn and his people would be fine. Regardless of what they encountered they would probably, be fine. Except for one of them. She turned back to the rest. "Blackburn, are you able to open another portal?" She asked.

Her old teacher looked up from where he was examining what had been a large stone pot. He let the small fragments in his hand fall back to the ground as he turned to her. "I can, though I would ask why, Your Highness."

"Nabiki will be heading home," Nodoka said firmly.

"What?" The middle Tendo spoke up, "Why?"

"I'd say it might have something to do with the orcs and kobolds we've been running into, girl," Formond said, nodding approvingly. He patted her on the shoulder. "This is no place for a lass like you to be."

Nabiki pulled away from the dwarf and stepped forward. She tugged nervously at the conspicuous blue and yellow jacket she was wearing. Oh, why had she let the girl bring something that stood out so much? "I'm not in any more danger here than in Nerima," Nabiki protested, crossing her arms.

"Normally people aren't trying to kill you Nabiki," Ranma replied first, "Sure they come for me, but no one goes after you first."

"And they still aren't trying to kill me more than you," The brunette snapped, "This is general danger. I've been in more danger when Happosai gets into a snit then I've been since we got here." Ranma grimaced and then silently nodded.

Nodoka shook her head. "We are a three-hour walk from Neverwinter," She said, "Look around you. This town was home to several thousand people. It reached that level because Neverwinter could protect it. This town is gone and has been for years Nabiki." Tears began to gather in Nodoka's eyes. She looked away and took a deep breath to steady herself. The group and Nabiki remained quiet as she had a moment.

"We are not going to get a happy welcome," The words seemed to break something inside her as she said them. "Neverwinter… I…" Ranma's hand came to rest on her arm again. She took it with one of her own. "We are going into danger. This, this is not a vacation anymore Nabiki. Dear, please understand. This is not safe for you."

"Of course it isn't safe. I knew this wasn't going to be safe the moment magic came up," The middle Tendo all but snapped. The girl who was not quite a grown woman seemed to puff up indignantly. Beside Nodoka, Ranma frowned, her head tilting to the side in thought. "Back home magic has caused nothing but problems. A world full of it? I'm surprised we aren't all ducks yet."

Ranma snorted. "Like you didn't start looking at it for opp...ortuniteee?" Ranma trailed off, drawing out the last syllable of the world in a contemplative tone.

"Ranma?" Nodoka prodded her child. Concern bubbled at what might be bothering her.

"I…" Ranma frowned at Nabiki. The other girl took a step back as the expression of disapproval on Ranma's face. "Nabiki," She growled, "Are you here to learn magic?"

Nabiki scowled back. "And if I am?" She asked, not even denying it. Nodoka watched as Blackburn rested his forehead on the end of his staff with a sigh and a chuckle.

Nodoka closed her own eyes and counted silently to three and her daughter and Nabiki started arguing. After counting to ten she opened her eyes. "Enough," She snapped. Ranma quieted instantly, turning to look at her in surprise as Nabiki just crossed her arms again.

Nodoka took a deep breath. So Nabiki wanted to learn magic, did she? Part of her was offended that Nabiki had lied about wanting to see Neverwinter. Or perhaps she had been truthful in that. It was hard to say for certain, but… Nodoka's eyes met Blackburn's and the older wizard frowned before nodding once. She raised an eyebrow. The old man's hand around the staff pointed one finger at Nabiki's back then held out two fingers. A second chance then.

So Nabiki wanted to learn magic? Fine. Hopefully, this wouldn't give Soun cause to get mad at her.

"Learning magic is dangerous," Nodoka said with more calm than she was feeling at that moment, "But you have the sense to realize that, even if you seem to lack the sense to simply ask rather than lurk for an opportunity." Perhaps she was showing less calm than she thought, however, at least the middle Tendo flinched at her disapproval. That was good, her words did have an effect on the girl.

"Mum?" Ranma asked. She ignored the younger redhead except for softly squeezing the hand she held.

"Blackburn, see if she has any talent," Nodoka ordered. She would trust Blackburn's judgement on this matter.

"Not a good idea," Ranma muttered beside her. It probably wasn't.

"Thank you-" Nabiki began.

"Do not thank her yet Miss Tendo," Blackburn interrupted, stepping forward. "This path you seem to wish to walk is not an easy one." He looked to Nodoka and bowed, "Your Highness I will do as you ask and evaluate Miss Tendo to see if she has any talent for the arcane. However, this is neither the time nor the place to do so. If I am not opening a portal to send Miss Tendo away then I suggest we leave the town before whatever might be here notices us."

Nodoka considered the young Tendo. The young woman shifted nervously. She could just send Nabiki away anyway. Even if the girl wanted to learn magic she was still under Nodoka's care right now. Still, to learn magic required an understanding of the risks that came from simply practicing… "No, she will stay with us for now," She voiced her decision and noted the frown from Ranma. They would have to talk later.

"As you command. Shall we get moving again?" Blackburn asked. She nodded. "Malleth, the way if you would."

"This way," The half-elf took the lead as they started walking. Nodoka, looked back one last time as they left the plaza. For a brief moment, it seemed as though shadows flickered around the fountain. Strange.

The road continued to be cobbled stone even as they left the town and meandered their way through the forest. The trees eventually gave way to overgrown fields of tall grasses and bushes. The walk was both easier, due to the cobbled road and harder. Also due to the road. Over a decade without maintenance had left the road in very poor condition and small stones constantly tried to trip them up.

She spotted Ranma catching Nabiki as she tripped at least twice.

They passed ruined farmsteads and homes until, eventually, the road began to tilt upwards. They were climbing a hill. The hill. The last hill before the city. The hill was not tall, but this side of it was long and not very steep. Climbing the hill took nearly an hour, but eventually, Nodoka saw Malleth crest the ridge that overlooked Neverwinter and stop. The half-elf turned back to them, who were still a hundred meters behind, and shook his head before kneeling and fishing out a telescope.

Despite herself, she felt her heart drop. No, please no…

She pushed herself, passing Ranma and Nabiki with long strides. Her heart was beating loudly as she passed Blackburn. She ignored the worried look the old man sent her. The road rolled forward, cresting the ridge with her as she broke into a sprint for the last few feet and then…

And then it layout across the plains. Neverwinter, her home. Neverwinter, the Jewel of the North. Neverwinter, a Metropolis and home to tens of tens of thousands. Neverwinter…

The Hill overlooked the northern side of the city and gave a magnificent overlook of the city. From it, she could see past the walls. She could see the Castle above the northern district of Blacklake. She could see the cloaktower in the east of the Merchant District along the walls, and the cemeteries along the south. The three bridges were clear as day where they crossed the river that split the city into north and south. And the docks district in the southwest along the water…

She could see it all. Her home, and yet… It was broken.

The walls still stood, their fastness holding against time and whatever had befallen the city. The castle was missing towers and their crumbled remnants clawed at the sky like a tortured hand. The merchant district on the north side seemed to be missing entire blocks. Blacklake, and the lake it was named after, seemed to be in ruins with the rich mansions and shopping centres laying in pieces. Not everything there was broken, but the lake seemed to have turned darker than she remembered it. An enormous chasm cut through the southern merchant district and everything beyond the enormous temple of Oghma, God of Knowledge, was simply missing. No homes. No shops. Nothing. Just a field of ruin running from the Temple and graveyards all the way to the eastern wall.

The one and only bright spot was the Docks District. Formerly the blight upon the city, whatever had hit Neverwinter seemed to have been a blessing for the former slum and trade center. Plenty of new construction surrounded the glittering dome of the Temple of Torm from townhouses to shops, to taverns and warehouses.

The City had been broken, but it wasn't quite dead.

Her knees gave way and she fell to the cobbled stonework as tears forced themselves upon her. "MUM!" She heard Ranma shout, followed by the pattering of her daughter's soft shoes on the cobbled stone. A moment later Ranma was kneeling by her side.

"Are you okay?" Ranma asked, hovering worriedly.

"I-" She sniffed and wiped her nose. "I had hoped- hoped I was just being hyperbolic." A sob wrenched itself out of her throat and she covered her mouth with one hand. "I never… I never wanted to come back to _this_."

"None of us did," Blackburn said softly, kneeling beside her. "Princess, we are here with you. I spent decades looking for you. I am not about to abandon you here, at the gates of our home."

She looked up at Blackburn and smiled through the occasional sob that wracked her. "Thank you," She said softly.

Lady Mason knelt down beside her and fished out a telescope from her bags. "If you wish to see Your Highness," She offered the telescope. Nodoka accepted it with a nod.

"What are we looking at Malleth?" Blackburn turned to his scout who was looking through his own telescope.

"Bad, bad, bad, and something that might be good, might be bad," The scout replied.

"Well don't keep us in suspense," Formond grumbled, stepping up beside the half-elf.

"Well bad: I can see monsters crawling out of that chasm in the south merchant district," Malleth said. A Nodoka raised the spyglass to her eye the half-elf added, "Really disgusting looking to. Might not want to look if you're feeling off."

Nodoka turned the telescope to the south merchant district anyway. A blue glow, nearly invisible with the distance, emanated from the crack that ran nearly half the length of the city. Creatures, some humanoid and some not, crawled from the chasm towards a wall that ran between the Temple of Oghma and the cemeteries. She didn't remember that wall from her childhood.

"I see them," Blackburn acknowledged, "There's a strange blue fire clinging to some of them. Odd. What else?"

"The Cloaktower has movement," Malleth continued, "Can't tell who it is, but they're humanoid."

Nodoka swung the telescope around to stare at the famous guildhall of Neverwinter's mages. The tower had seen better days, just like the rest of the city, but it was standing intact. So was the curtain wall around it. Nothing was visible beyond the curtain wall, but humanoid figures could be seen moving in the windows.

Blackburn tisked and frowned. "Orcs, I recognize the silhouette," He said, though Nodoka couldn't make out the shapes enough to tell if his thought was correct.

"Orcs? In Neverwinter?" Formond exclaimed, "That's not possible."

"Well, it is now," Malleth sighed, "One of them just stopped by a window. Third floor, bottom left." Nodoka quickly spotted the beast in question. Its hulking form loomed in the window of the tower.

"Mum can I?" Ranma asked and she relinquished the telescope to her daughter. The younger redhead stared through it at the tower with a curious expression that Nodoka couldn't quite place.

"We'll get them out of there as soon as possible I hope," Blackburn muttered, "Next Malleth."

The half-elf removed his telescope from his eye and scanned the city for a moment before raising it. "Well, on the obvious side I should point out that the castle does not look inhabited at the moment. Can't see into the courtyard too well from here, but if this took place as far back as the rest of what we've passed, then it's been empty for a while."

Nodoka closed her eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks in rivets. Her family… they were more than likely gone. None of them, or her, would have stood by and let the castle stay in this condition.

None of them.

"Something looks wrong with the lake," Ranma said.

"Wro- oh," The scout trailed off as he turned the telescope. "By the gods, the lake is a disaster. The place looks like a tarpit. I'm being serious. That water looks like sludge."

"Damn mess it is," Blackburn agreed, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," Malleth lowered his telescope and turned to Nodoka. "There's a banner flying over the Temple of Torm. I don't recognize it."

"Ranma," Nodoka held out her hand and Ranma returned the telescope, "Thank you." Raising it to her eye she pointed it towards the Temple of Torm. Hanging from the tallest point was a banner of a lidless eye surrounded by a sparkling flame. She frowned. Who did that banner belong to?

"Well now," Blackburn lowered his telescope, "That could prove to be either helpful or really bad."

"Do you recognize it?" Nodoka asked, her own memory failing to provide an answer.

"It is, I believe, that of a cousin of yours Your Highness. Brand Neverember. Somewhat distant by blood, but a native of Waterdeep," Blackburn replied. He fiddled with his telescope before raising it again, "But I can't imagine what his banner would be doing here… Especially since he would be in his sixties or even seventies by now."

"I'd say its rather obvious," Nabiki said as she found a seat on a rock by the side of the road. "He's here to claim his inheritance."

"Or what he believes is his," Malleth added.

"Please keep the speculation down a bit," Blackburn reprimanded, "We don't know the situation in the city at the moment. Right, Princess," Nodoka looked up at him. The old wizard's brow was furrowed in thought. "I would recommend entering quietly. If your Cousin is honourable he should be willing to help, but if he isn't… I don't know him well enough to know either way."

Nodoka nodded, "And none of my siblings' banners are flying anywhere?" She asked.

"I'm seeing nothing Princess," Malleth confirmed.

No banners. No Family. More tears bubbled to the surface, spilling down her cheeks. "Right," She said wetly as she went to stand up. Ranma helped her up. She nodded to her temporary daughter thankfully. "Right, we…" She closed her eyes and blocked out the sight of the city.

This was not what she had expected to find.

This was not what she wanted to find.

This was what she had been trained for.

She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and stared out over her family's city. Her broken, battered, and ravaged city. "Blackburn."

"Yes, Your Highness?" He responded.

"Find us a way in without alerting anyone." She needed to know what was wrong, and then…

Then she would have to fix it. This was Neverwinter, home of House Alagondar, and she was very likely the last Alagondar. Her duty was clear.

"Well," She said softly enough only Ranma might have heard her. "I was getting homesick anyway." It was probably going to be a long time before she saw her husband again. Looking down at the curious face of her son turned daughter she found it hard to care. Duty came first. Duty and Family.

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A/N: The very long-awaited chapter two of the Crown of Neverwinter. They have reached Neverwinter. Next chapter we see it up close and personal. This chapter has been in the works for a little too long. *sheepish kitsune* and so it is this months end of month chapter by Editorial Request. *Really Sheepish Kitsune*

A thank you to Gekkou_Yoko for her help with proofreading.

Further thanks to my s for their support. ^^ *Happy Kitsune*

And if anyone wants to join us talking about things, yes things, maybe including these stories, you can find the link to my discord in the description~


	3. The Broken City

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A Ranma ½ Forgotten Realms Crossover

The Crown of Neverwinter

By: Grounders10

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The Broken City

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The walls of Neverwinter were carved from stone that had been taken from quarries scattered up and down the sword coast over the centuries since its initial construction. Multiple wars with Luskan and a myriad of enemies from Dragons to Gods had worn them down again and again only for the resilient denizens of Neverwinter to build them up once more. Whatever had struck the city had certainly tried to do what centuries of conflict had failed. The crenellations along the walls were missing in most places, replaced by crude wooden replacements. The sides once kept smooth to reduce the odds of anyone successfully climbing them, were pitted and chipped. The towers that were spaced every one hundred feet were broken and ruined. And yet the walls stood. Men in leather or chainmail walked the walls and stood guard by the gates as Ranma and her party walked down the poorly maintained road to the gate.

"I don't recognize the uniforms," Malleth said softly to Blackburn. The two were at the front of the group and just in front of Ranma.

The seven-person group were now all wearing identical inconspicuous brown cloaks. While the adventurers were still wearing their usual clothing beneath the robes; Ranma, Nabiki, and Nodoka had all changed into spare wizarding robes that Blackburn had in his bag. The three robes had been from an identical set of ten that the wizard claimed he kept on hand for 'cases such as this'. Apparently wandering wizards with a gaggle of apprentices were not unheard of.

The robes had been all of the same size, but with a few minutes of work, Ranma had managed to tailor them as best as could be done. She was hardly a master of sewing but most of the changes were simple. Shortening sleeves and hems was hardly a difficult feat. More of an issue was the fact that the robes were intended for men or women like Lady Mason. They had not been intended for women like Ranma, Nabiki, or Nodoka. Ranma had the blessing of being short, which left a lot of material to work with. Nabiki, while not short, was in much the same position as Ranma. Nodoka, however, was left with robes that could be considered to be a size too small in everything except the length of the hem and the arms. There had been more than a little complaining when that fact had come to light.

Still, they fit the appearance of a trio of apprentices, their wizarding master, and their guards well enough to pass muster. In theory, at least. Ranma hoped it would be enough to avoid unwanted scrutiny.

"They would seem to be mercenaries," Blackburn replied, "Islanders by the look of them. Out of Mintarn most likely." The Wizard nodded to himself. "Now, stay quiet and let me do the talking," he reminded them as the guards took note of their approach.

"Halt!" One of the guards by the gate shouted at them as they came within a hundred feet of the open door. Blackburn waved for them to obey and they came to a stop. A pair of guards left the gate and walked out to meet them.

"What seems to be the issue?" Blackburn asked as the guards reached them. The two guards had the same skeevy look about them. Ranma wrinkled her nose at the smell rolling off the one who hadn't shouted for them to stop. He smelled like he had been spending too much time around fire pits. The scent of smoke and ash wafted off him like he spent most of his days cuddling a fireplace.

The other guard didn't even bother looking at Blackburn as he responded, his eyes instead wandering across Ranma and her mother. She didn't miss the way his eyes lingered on the strained fabric of her mother's robes. "Yer coming in from the North Road. That's enough reason to stop you right there. Not much good comes from the north these days," he said, his voice pitched just high enough to grate at the ears.

"It has been a rough journey I'm afraid," Blackburn sighed, "The roads are by far worse than I remember the last time I came this way." He looked past the soldier to the walls. "I don't remember the walls of Neverwinter being so damaged."

The guard snorted and glanced back to the wizard for a moment before letting his gaze wander back. "Been this way for years. I thought word had gotten around years ago about what happened."

"I'm afraid we were up in the Icewind Dale for the last while," Blackburn said easily, "Getting current news is difficult up there."

"Well your news is a bit less than current," the second scoffed. The smoke-smelling man was pacing around them. Unlike his companion, he seemed to care more about what they were carrying than ogling the women of the group. "You're about three decades out of date." Ranma tried to ignore the small noise her mother had made.

"Three decades?" Blackburn shook his head, "I could have sworn it was only two since I was last here… Though time does get a bit strange on the tundra." He ran a hand through his beard and hummed as though he had fallen into absentminded thought.

"Still, you say you're out from Icewind Dale? Bit of a long way to go without horses," the second guard observed.

"We had a cart actually," Malleth added, "We lost it a few hundred miles back."

"Lost?" The second guard stopped in front of him. Leaning forward into his personal space. "And how did that happen?"

"Dragon," was the archer's dry reply.

"Dragon?" The guard stepped back, "It didn't follow you, did it?" His eyes went to the sky to the north.

"The last we saw of it," Blackburn began, shooting Malleth an annoyed look, "it was feasting on the horses. It wasn't too old. A juvenile at most so I doubt it would venture this far from its preferred hunting grounds."

The smokey-guard grimaced and glanced at the first. He jabbed the man in the gut with an elbow. He grunted and broke off from undressing Ranma's mother with his eyes. "Right, right," he grumbled upon seeing his companion's look. He glanced one last time at Nodoka, then slid his gaze to Ranma who scowled at him, and finally turned his full attention to Blackburn. "Name and purpose Wizard," he demanded.

"Verrian Brucklebuck," Blackburn introduced himself, "With two Rs in my first name, not one. Two."

The guard rolled his eyes. "And the purpose of you and your party is?" He asked.

"Visiting friends…" He glanced at the rough stone wall, "Though if the view of the city from the hill is any indication I rather doubt I'll find them. We'll be staying a few days either way. We need to restock and find new horses before pushing on to Waterdeep."

The guard nodded. "And your party?" He asked, taking the opportunity to leer at Nodoka once more. She stepped behind Lady Mason who glared at the guard. He seemed amused more than anything before shifting his gaze to Nabiki.

"My apprentices and guards. I used to have a few more guards before the dragon," Blackburn complained, "Do you know how hard it is to find good help in Icewind Dale? I spent decades up there and I only found ten people, and that includes my apprentices!" He sounded truly aggrieved. If Ranma hadn't known better she might have even believed him.

The guard snorted. "I wouldn't hold yer breath finding good help around here either. Everyone capable works for the Lord Protector like we do and he doesn't take kindly to random wizards poaching his guards," he warned.

Blackburn grumbled but nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, it has been a long walk. May we head into the city?" He asked.

The guards stepped back and conferred for a moment before the first came back. "Well, there is the matter of the entrance and administrative tarifs," he said.

"Tariffs?" Blackburn squawked, "Entry to Neverwinter has always been free."

"New management new rules," the guard said with a wide grin, "Now, the entrance fee is one silver per person. Administrative tariff is five silver." He held out his hand.

Blackburn frowned at the man for a long moment before grumbling and pulling a nearly empty coin purse from within his robes. He counted out 12 silver coins. "That takes care of everything I assume?" He asked.

The guard gave a disappointed glance to the Wizard's coin purse before nodding. "Yeah, that's everything. Yer free to head in, just keep out of trouble," he told them.

"We'll keep our heads down," Malleth said with a grin and a pat to Blackburn's back. "Come on old man, let's get inside where it's warm." The wizard grumbled, but let himself be herded towards the gate.

"Come along everyone. Let us go and see if my old friends are still around," he said, waving for them to follow along. The group moved out, passing the guards who stood by as they walked past. Ranma passed close to the first guard and sidestepped instinctive as he tried to swat her butt. She glared at him but refrained from following through with her usual instinct to break his hand. They didn't need more trouble.

As they walked through the gate Ranma moved over to her mother. "Are you alright?" She asked, "That creep-"

"Was about what I expected from a mercenary," her mother sighed. The older redhead shook her head and scowled. "Don't let it get to you too much. You'll find others like that among the rest of these mercenaries," she cautioned.

"I better not," Ranma grumbled, crossing her arms as they entered the city proper.

Directly in front of the gate was a large square of cobblestone with several paths that branched off from it. To their immediate left and right were paved roads that followed the line of the wall. They were lined with overgrown hedges, trees and tall grass. On the right were a pair of large homes that were built up against the wall. There were two roads that headed deeper into the city. Neither of them was straight. Their cobbled forms wound off into the tangled mess of walled-off gardens and mansions.

"Blacklake district. How far has it fallen..." Blackburn mused as he came to a stop at the far end of the plaza from the gatehouse. The guards from earlier had stopped paying attention to them and were chatting amongst themselves now. Ranma's keen eyes caught the glint of silver exchanging hands.

"This is looking pretty damned bad," Malleth agreed. He pointed to a run-down storefront that was wedged between two mansions. "That used to be a really good bakery. Looks empty now," he observed.

"Don't draw too much attention by waving your hands around Malleth," Blackburn chided as he observed the rundown state of the area. "And to think this was the affluent district. The streets were always quiet, but these are empty. Keep an eye out as we go. I wouldn't trust the city to be safe."

Ranma's mother stepped up to Blackburn. "We need to take a proper look around, but first-"

"The castle," the wizard concluded for her. She nodded. "... let's get moving. We can talk away from the gate. Mason, you know the way." The Paladin led the way. Her helmeted head turned left and right as they walked. She was scanning the small side roads and gated gardens they passed.

Nabiki suddenly sniffed loudly. "Do you smell that?" She asked. Ranma sniffed the air. There was something oily in the air. A foul scent that reminded her of spilled fuel.

"I smell it," she said.

"I smell it too," Formond said. The Dwarf pushed back his cloak and laid a hand on the pommel of his sword.

As the party came to a halt between streets and the adventurers looked about trying to pinpoint the source Ranma looked to her mother. Nodoka was staring off down the road. "I think I know what it is," she said, getting everyone's attention.

"Well do enlighten us then," Blackburn prompted, pausing awkwardly at the end of the sentence like he was holding himself back from adding something.

"It's coming from the Black Lake," she said, pointing down the road to where a line of trees and overgrown hedges cut off the view of whatever was behind it. "Come on." She hurried down the road, the skirt of robes held up to let her run better. The rest of them dashed after her and around the corner. They ran a bit down the road to a break in the hedgerow where Nodoka came to a stop. "No," she gasped. Only the hand of Lady Mason on her shoulder kept the Princess from running through.

"Nodoka, let me," Mason said, pulling Ranma's mother back from the gap so she could step into it herself. She stepped back a moment later looking sick. "I- Blackburn, you may want to take a look." She gently steered Nodoka away from the gap to lean against the opposite fence. Formond held back, keeping his eyes on the road behind them and one hand on his sword.

The Wizard and Malleth stepped up to the gap and peered through. "Well, it would seem that the Black Lake is now simply 'The Black'," Malleth said with a disgusted grimace, "Pity. I quite liked spending a lazy afternoon there. The plays in the pavilions were always a treat."

"They will be again one day," Blackburn said, patting the archer on the shoulder as they turned away. His expression was sad as he turned back to Ranma's mother.

Curious Ranma took the chance to peer through the hedgerow. The smell grew worse as she stuck her head through. Beyond was what had clearly once been a nice park with gazebos and broken brick paths scattered through the sparse grass that surrounded a large pond several hundred meters long. At least, it had once been a pond. Now it was a quagmire of black sludge and mud that bubbled intermittently.

As she watched an amorphous form squelched out of the depths of the lake. A transparent cube that was black and grey with a tinge of green. It jiggled and swayed as it slowly squelched along the surface of the former pond. Then in a single sudden motion, a much larger amorphous blob of a sickly off pink swelled from the lake and dragged the first back depths.

"Oh Kami," Ranma glanced over her shoulder at the horrified look on Nabiki's face. "What was that?"

"Define that?" Malleth asked.

"A big grey blob just popped up from the lake and got eaten by a larger pink one," Ranma said. Blackburn tsked.

"Slimes. Joy. How big?" the Wizard asked.

"The second was about the size of a car," she added. That was a slime? She'd seen them depicted in fantasy manga before, but those things were tiny, practically harmless. That could have swallowed her pops in his panda form.

"Breeding size then," Mason said.

A low growl silenced further discussion as everyone turned to her mother who was gripping the crumbling stone of the wall hard enough to leave marks. "What happened here?" she demanded, "This-" She trailed off into another low growl.

"Something beyond the capabilities of all but the most powerful mortals," Blackburn said bluntly, "assuming all the damage came from a single event at least. Nodoka, given the state of the Blacklake perhaps the Castle is not the best place for us to head immediately. We've travelled far and-"

"I still wish to see it, Blackburn," Nodoka cut in sternly.

The wizard sighed and nodded. "I expected that you would say that," he said, "Mason, lead the way. Formond, rearguard."

"This way milady," Mason said gently, moving to take the lead once more. One hand came to rest on the hilt of her sword as the group moved on from the lake and down the broken cobblestone streets.

Ranma kept close to her mother as she scanned the broken buildings and overgrown sidestreets. At first she was looking for threats, dangers in this place, but as they failed to materialize her focus wavered and she turned her attention to the buildings.

The mansions really were quite impressive, broken down by disaster and time as they were. Some were simply large houses with enclosed yards, others pressed their outer walls straight to the street. Most of the brickwork was made from granite or marble with the occasional house of crumbling red brick.

Birds flitted in and out of ruined homes and the chirp of songbirds could be heard over the stifling silence of the deserted town. She spotted the occasional squirrel as it ducked in and out of sight amidst the branches of the trees that overhung the road from overgrown gardens. On a bright day like today, it threw the streets into dappled green shadows that seemed as worrying as they were welcoming. A consequence of the overgrowth was that the Castle all but disappeared from sight as they walked, despite the way it towered over the entire city on its own hill.

Eventually, the ruined homes and overgrown mansions gave way to a spattering of repair work. Patched roofs, trimmed trees, and even a mansion with proper glass windows in the frames. Two men in leather armour stood outside the gate of that mansion and watched them as they went by.

The number of people started to tick upwards, though there were never more than three in sight at one time. Their clothes were often a bit dirty, their owners clearly labourers, though there was a scattering of more well off men and women. Once they stepped aside to allow a horse carrying a woman in a magenta dress riding side-saddle and her two guards to pass.

"So few," her mother whispered after that, her voice barely carrying to Ranma despite the overall quiet atmosphere of the city.

Finally, the noise of many people talking and laughing began to drift towards them from further ahead. Nodoka walked forward faster and she hurried to keep up. Her mother came to an abrupt halt as they spilled out into a cobbled stone and dirt square. Compared to the streets the square was positively bustling. People walked in and out of the dozen or so open shops that lined the sides of the square, though there were many more boarded up and two were ruined to the point their roofs had caved in. A few were sitting and eating at benches and tables set up outside a bakery. There were even a half dozen children running around the dilapidated fountain in the center of the square.

"Now this just feels… wrong," Malleth said

"Wrong? It looks better than the rest," Nabiki said.

"Girl…" Formond sighed, "Used to be that at this time of day you'd never be able to see the far side of this square because of all the people." The dwarf shook his head. "This might look normal to you, but I remember having to shout to clear a path for the King through crowds so thick that you needed mounted knights to get anywhere."

"Home," her mother whispered, breaking their conversation. Ranma glanced over, frowning at the melancholic look on her mother's face as she looked up at the castle now that the overgrowth was no longer blocking the view. This was a lot harder on her mother than she had thought it would be when they had been talking about it back at the Dojo. Of course, they hadn't expected the city to be in ruins either…

It was just a city but… She frowned, this was difficult to understand for her. She hadn't known any place other than the Dojo well enough to get attached to it and even then… well after the way her pops had dragged her off that one time she had been trying to avoid getting too attached to it. She hadn't even had enough time to get attached to their old house before it got levelled by obsessive fiancees.

She laid her hand on her mother's shoulder and smiled as her mother glanced down for a second before looking back up. She followed her mother's gaze. They had covered half the district and now the castle was starting to loom over the city, a stone leviathan whose shadow would cast entire blocks into darkness in the evening.

"Let's keep moving," Blackburn said, placing a hand on her mother's other shoulder and gently guiding her through the square. A few people looked up from what they were doing, and the group of children running about the square nearly ran into them, but they got through there without further incident.

The street that Blackburn led them down was a proper boulevard with overgrown or empty planters in the median of the street. A few, usually those in front of a shop or home, had been repaired with wooden planks and were neatly tended. Population density continued to increase as they followed the road through three more plazas until it reached the river she had seen from the hilltop. The road split, one smaller street turning away to follow the riverside towards the far end of the city while the other turned towards the three bridges over the river that were clustered near the castle.

"This way. The ramp up is at the crossroads past the bridges," Blackburn said, the old wizard glanced towards her and Nabiki. Ranma nodded.

The city blocks closer to the bridges were nearly new construction in comparison to the more worn down buildings further in. Cleaner stonework and new roofs were the dominant features of the area with little in the way of the patchwork roofs and soot-stained stonework the rest of the district was so clearly dominated by.

The three bridges were a mixed bag. The closest one was barricaded off with a makeshift wooden palisade, though from their angle Ranma could make out a gaping hole in the center of the bridge. The middle bridge was in the best condition with a constant trundle of people and carts going in either direction. The furthest bridge had another palisade up along with what appeared to be scaffolding from which men were working on the bridge.

A pair of guards were standing watch at the closest end of the middle bridge, though they seemed too engrossed in their own conversation to notice as their company walked by on the far side of the road. Though that may have had as much to do with the people in between them as their conversation.

The ramp leading up to the castle was pointed almost straight at the end of the furthest bridge and a few people glanced their way as Blackburn led them up the ramp. Halfway up Ranma paused to take in the view. Hundreds of people mingled in the streets as they bustled about life.

She turned away at the prodding of Mason and trudged up the slope towards the castle. It had been months since the last time Ranma had gone near a castle, and truthfully she had never been to a European castle. There had been a few manors and certainly many traditional castles in Japan, but never a genuine European castle. Technically, she supposed, Castle Never didn't count either, but only because it wasn't built by Europeans.

The gatehouse was a towering edifice of stone that loomed larger the closer they got. Thirty-five feet tall on top of the already steep slopes that led up to the gate, and the towers on either side of the doorway had another ten feet at least.

The gates hung open, one of them lying on its face in the doorway with ivy crawling over it. The wood was heavily burnt and that which wasn't was rotting enough that they left footprints with each step on the crumbling material. Other footsteps were visible from prior visitors presumably, though Ranma would be hard-pressed to guess if any were recent.

Blackburn stopped in the far end of the doorway and he quickly stepped back, waving Mason forward. The heavily armoured paladin stepped forward. He whispered something into her ear and she nodded before leading the way out into the courtyard.

Her hand was gripped tightly around the hilt of her sword. She was ready to draw it.

Ranma's gaze, previously lax from watching the birds and animals, sharpened as she started searching. Something had them on edge… where were the birds? There had been birds throughout the rest of the Blacklake and now there was nothing. Even the creak carts and conversation that had bubbled around the bridges were absent. It was silent, almost dead silent except for the breeze blowing across the stone.

Two steps took her to her mother's side and she stuck there, just in case.

The courtyard was a ruin. That was no real surprise. There were sections of the outer wall that had crumbled to ruin, that much had been visible from the hill outside the city. Debris filled a lot of the courtyard and the outbuilding to the left was missing its roof. It hadn't caved in, it was simply gone leaving charred stone walls crawling with vines.

And then there was the keep itself. Ranma's head tilted back to take it in. Castle Never stood like a mountain over a dozen stories tall. It's tallest towers were ruined, and at a guess, she suspected that a lot of the debris in the courtyard came from those crumbled towers. The walls were cracked and crumbling, with gaps in the stonework forming around arrow slits and windows. The yard was overgrown with grass and brush, though a path had seemingly been maintained leading around the keep to the left of the gate. And speaking of gates, the gate of the

This place was a ruin.

_Crack_.

Blades were drawn in a blink as Mason and Formond stepped in front of the group. Ranma stepped in front of her mother. The creak of wood and string let her know that Malleth had drawn his bow as well.

Everyone was looking at a stack of barrels that were conspicuously non-overgrown. For a moment there was silence, then Blackburn sighed and pushed his way forward. "Whoever is out there, come out. We mean no harm. Please, come out," he called.

There was a rustle, then a blonde man in a brown and silver vest with a wide-brimmed fedora blent upwards on one side, stood up from behind the barrels. He held one hand in the air while the other rested on the sword hanging from his waist. "You aren't with Neverember's men then?" he asked.

"Just visitors to the city," Blackburn said, gently pushing down Malleth's bow. "Verrian Brucklebuck at your service. Purveyor of arcane mysteries," he introduced himself, "It has been many years since I was last in Neverwinter and I thought I would investigate the… rumours as it were."

"Rumours?" the man's hand edged towards his blade even as his eyes darted towards Malleth.

Blackburn waved a hand. "Apologies, a poor choice of words. Very poor indeed. I saw the damage from the hills overlooking the city and just had to take a look myself. I once walked this very courtyard in service to the Royal Family once upon a time many, many years ago," he said looking around the courtyard with a nostalgic expression. "Ah, those were the days of my youth when Neverwinter was inhabited by better things than orcs and ghosts."

The man relaxed marginally. "Well, if it was a closer look you want I'd advise against it unless you have a desire to prove yourself old man," he said. Something red flashed in the corner of her vision and Ranma's eyes darted to follow it without moving her head. Something had just poked out from behind the corner of the keep before withdrawing.

"And why is that?" Blackburn asked, curiosity in his tone.

The man waved to the castle. "It's completely overrun with pests and ghosts inside," he said. Ranma shivered at the mention of ghosts. Her last few encounters with those sorts of things had gone… not great really. Really not great. "There're even rumours that a beholder has moved into one of the towers." Ranma twitched at the low growl that emanated from her mother.

"Rumours? Actual ones, or the fanciful tales you and your companions use to keep this place clear?" Blackburn asked with a hard tone. Malleth's bow came back up to point at the corner of the keep.

"Peace, peace," the man held up both hands, "there's just myself here."

Mason scoffed. "That would be the first lie he's told so far," she said, before sighing and lowering her guard, sheathing her blade. "Get them out here and let's talk. Assuming Verr has no issues?" she asked Blackburn pointedly.

"How many times must I ask you to not call me that?" Blackburn sighed, "But yes, we didn't come here for a fight. That said, I do find myself curious as to what has befallen the castle since I left the city so many years ago. You seem knowledgeable, how would you feel about sharing some of that information?"

Formond slowly followed Mason's lead and his blade was returned to its sheath.

"That depends on who is asking," the man said, waving for those behind the corner to come forward. A motley trio of a black-skinned elf girl with a pointed hat, a dark-haired young woman, and another blonde young man emerged. They looked to be about Ranma's age physically, perhaps a year or two older at most, though she wasn't entirely sure what that meant for an elf. All of them had swords hanging from their belts.

"We prefer to remain outside of the city's political squabbles," he continued.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," the old wizard replied as he looked over the group, dragging Mallth's bow back down again. The half-elf grumbled, but relaxed the bow, though he didn't put the arrow away. "My interest is purely personal in nature. "

"There has been a bit going on inside, I'll admit," the man said before shrugging. "Sure, why not. What do you guys say? Up for guests?" he glanced back at his group.

"Assuming they stop pointing weapons at us," the girl said, watching their group warily. Ranma looked them over. They looked like they might know a thing or two about how to use their weapons, but compared to her, or even to Mason and Formond, they were poorly skilled. To start with both the human girl and the other boy were wearing their sheaths improperly. The crossguards of their swords were likely to catch on their clothing if they attempted to draw in a hurry. The elf however had an air about her, like she was used to fighting.

"Don't give us a reason to, and we won't," Mason replied.

"Good enough for me," the man said, walking towards the path around the castle. "Come on, we'll do this at our campsite. Better seating." After a moment's hesitation his group followed him and only then did Blackburn start after them. Their group followed slowly, more than one keeping an eye out for additional members of this group.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Being back in Neverwinter was doing a number on her. When she had left the city had been thriving. Its population had boomed larger than ever before and with the constant influx of trade and the immigrants that came with it. Given a few more decades it might have been able to rival cities like Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate in wealth and population. Its temples were beautiful, its streets full of life, and its trade fleet the envy of nations far larger.

It had been a golden age.

Walking through the broken-down remains of that age was like a knife to her gut. Seeing the broken homes.

The crumbling streets.

The lifeless squares.

The Blacklake.

The Castle.

Again and again, that knife was jammed into her and twisted. It left her with questions. What could she have done differently? Preventing whatever could do this sort of damage was… Well, believing that she could have done anything was arrogance in the extreme, but in the wake of it?

She should have returned sooner.

Sitting around a campfire in what had been the stable of her own home, sharing conversation with a group of raggedly dressed young men and women was…

She had climbed the broken tower over there once. Her mother had been so angry when the guards finally managed to rescue her from the ledge halfway up. And the stables, she remembered the horses they had kept.

Nodoka took a long drink from her canteen and stifled both a sigh and the sniffles that followed. Hearing what had happened to the inside of the castle was no better.

"So, they say that there's a Beholder up in one of the towers," the young man, Kenneth Palemountain, he had named himself once they entered the canvas-covered stables, said, "By they I mean the adventurers who've tried to loot the place."

Because of course they had. Adventurers, as much a boon as a curse on a nation. She clenched her jaw and nearly jumped as her daughter placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I see. Independent or…?" Blackburn asked. He fiddled around with one of his pockets for a moment before pulling out a small brown cloth packet.

"Officially? Independent, but rumour on the streets says some of them worked for Neverember," he replied, poking the fire with a stick. The old wizard unfolded the packet to reveal slices of salted meat. He held it out to the young man.

"Here, a gift for your information," he said.

"Thank you," Kenneth said, accepting it graciously. He sniffed the meat. "Pork?"

"Boar actually," the old wizard corrected, "You know, Beholders are dangerous, but I find it surprising that a single one would be able to keep multiple adventurer's groups at bay for this long," Blackburn continued as he dug out some smoked jerky.

"Oh there's a lot more than just a Beholder in there," the drow said from where she was sitting on a crate near the back of the room.

"You mentioned ghosts?" Ranma asked. Nodoka glanced over at her son turned daughter. The younger redhead was frowning.

"Groups have run into ghosts wandering throughout the castle. Aerlyse back there managed to tick off a few last week," he said, gesturing back at the drow girl with a laugh. He refolded the packet of salted meat and set it down on a nearby crate.

"Kindly shut up," she growled, earning only another laugh from the well dressed young man.

"Ah, don't be like that Aery," he chuckled before sighing. "We've been testing ourselves against the things inside, but none of us have made it all that far. Name the threat and you can probably find it somewhere in the castle."

Nodoka shivered at the grim way the young man delivered the news. "Anything?" she asked worriedly.

"Nearly," he confirmed, "I've seen a few ettercap and even a harpy once in the grand stairwell. And none of us try to get to the throne room anymore. Not with the hall of mirrors the way it is."

Blackburn leaned forward. "What about the hall of mirrors?" he asked. The hall of mirrors was the hallway/lesson hall that connected the grand stairway to the throne room. Lined on either side by walls of mirrors and topped by beautiful stained glass windows it had been used to teach young members of the family how to hold themselves by showing how they looked on all sides. She hadn't… enjoyed those lessons, but the room had been a beautiful spectacle of light and colour that awed many. Herself included.

"If you look at it from the grand stairway it looks fine. Every glass pane has been shattered, but that's nothing unusual in the city. It's damned near impossible to find a glass pane from before the cataclysm," Ken said, "The trick is when someone living enters the room."

"Living specifically?" Mason asked.

"Ghosts float through the room all the time. Nothing happens," Aerlyse replied.

"But then someone like one of us steps through the door and everything goes to shit," the human girl grumbled, folding her arms.

"The room is stuck repeating the day of the cataclysm," Ken explained, "Complete with exploding glass and superheated gas."

"Superheated gas?" Ranma asked, "What was the cataclysm? No one explained that bit to us yet."

That brought the group of squatting swordsmen up short. "Really?" the drow girl asked.

"Pardon our ignorance, but we haven't been back to the city in… Almost thirty years now. We only walked through the Blacklake gate… an hour ago at most," Blackburn said, "And the only people we've spoken with are the guards, and given their less than courteous behaviour I felt it would be better to not linger."

"Smart. Neverember's mercenaries are a mixed bag. Mintarns worst and best," Aerlyse said.

"Ignoring the guards and their corruption," Ken said with a groan, "The Cataclysm occurred twenty-seven years ago. Mount Hotenow erupted in an explosion that destroyed most of the city and choked the life from the entire region."

Nodoka paled. Mount Hotenow had erupted? The volcano had been visible from her bedroom window and it had erupted within only a few years of her running away? If she had still been here she would have probably died as well. Shaking fingers gripped her robes. Had this been what the priest of Torm had meant when he spoke of her ascending to a throne of fire and ash?

Her throat was dry as she listened to the young man as he talked about how most of the population that was left had up and left after the eruption and how things had stayed mostly the same until the Open Lord of Waterdeep one…

"Dagult Neverember? So old Brand is dead then," Blackburn mused.

"Brand?" Ken asked.

"Brand Neverember was the father of Dagult if I recall," the wizard said. Nodoka remembered Dagult. A few years older than her he had been a boisterous, though not particularly handsome, young man with a tendency to get into scrapes alongside her brothers. Embarrassingly flirtatious at times and certainly a firebrand. During the couple of times he had stayed at Castle Never he had gotten in over his head more than once. As attested to by the broken nose he had headed home with the second time.

And now he was the Open Lord of Waterdeep. He had moved up in the world indeed. But what did this mean for his interest in her Family's city? What interests for Waterdeep had led him here?

"Well, he's the one responsible for the enclave across the river," Ken said, "Named himself Lord Protector and brought in a bunch of Mintarn mercenaries to keep order. He's done a decent enough job I suppose."

"If he's moved in to restore order, then why hasn't he sent more troops to take the castle back? It is an important landmark and it was the pride of the city at one point," Blackburn wondered.

"Supposedly he doesn't want to be King, and there's been discontent with his presence," Aerlyse said. She leaned forward with a smirk. "Some of the locals who never left have taken his interference to be imperialistic. They're worried he's going to annex the city for Waterdeep."

That… Nodoka could see where that came from. Waterdeep and Neverwinter had been allies for decades, centuries in fact, but with Neverwinter so deeply crippled after this cataclysm, it would almost be better for Waterdeep to just annex it and try to prop it up as a northern frontier to protect their own lands. From their perspective at least.

"Not likely. The Lords of Waterdeep have no cares for Cities other than their own," Blackburn muttered. That was also true. While Waterdeep did occasionally scuffle over territory with its neighbours, it cared more for its trade outposts than it did for territorial holdings.

"There are firsts for everything," Aerlyse replied.

"True," he acknowledged. He glanced out the doors and sighed. "And the sun is starting to sink low. I thank you all for the information, you've given me plenty to think about over the next few days." He pulled a purse from a pocket and tossed a half dozen gold coins to Kenneth. "For your troubles, along with the meat."

Kenneth bounced the coins in his palm and smiled at the jingle they made. "Ah, no trouble at all Mr. Brucklebuck. The pleasure was ours. Enjoy your time in the City," he said, tossing a coin to each of his companions who nodded graciously, except for Aerlyse who started rolling it between her knuckles.

Blackburn stood up and the rest of their group followed in a clatter of steel and leather. "Now, my knowledge of the city is a bit rusty for obvious reasons. Are there any good Inns leftover from the old days?" he asked, toying with another gold coin.

"There's a couple here an' there," the other young man said, "You've got the Moonstone Mask. A bit pricey, but a good stay from what I've heard. The Driftwood Tavern is still open around the corner. Or, you could head out to the North Harbour. There's a few good ones out that way. The Beached Leviathan's a good place if you don't mind being overheard. Excellent ale, but the proprietor is in Neverember's pocket."

"The Driftwood Tavern is still up and running? Who's in charge these days?" Blackburn asked curiously.

"Uuuh… Madam Rosene I believe," the young man said.

"Rosene? Well, I think we have our destination for the evening then," Blackburn smiled, counting out another half dozen coins which he passed to Kenneth. The swordsman smiled and tipped his hat before passing them out.

"Have a good evening then gentlemen, ladies," he smiled.

With that Blackburn led them out of the stables and back out of the castle courtyard. The old wizard kept quiet until they were well on their way down the ramp.

"Dagult? And as the Open Lord? Hrmph, the boy has gotten ambitious," Blackburn grumbled as they came to a stop out of hearing range of the castle and the guards by the bridges.

"You mean powerful," Nodoka said. She stopped beside him and looked out across the river. The fresh stone construction of this Protector's Enclave stood out prominently compared to the rundown state of Blacklake. The Docks had once been the slums of Neverwinter, now it seemed that the roles had been reversed.

"That as well," Blackburn agreed.

"So an Open Lord is important?" Ranma asked.

"Waterdeep is the largest city in Faerȗn," her old mentor explained, "It is among only a handful whose population exceeds a million souls. It is ruled by a council of lords whose numbers and identities are kept secret through arcane artifacts that prevent identification. All except one, the Open Lord who is selected by the Masked Lords. They are the face of Waterdeep and its nominal leader. If Dagult has managed to attain the rank of Open Lord then he is now a man with few peers, even among Kings."

Ranma frowned and nodded, clearly thinking. Behind her, Nodoka spotted Nabiki shooting a frown across the river.

"Dagult may be easier to handle than his father," Nodoka said, thinking aloud.

"Or harder. He has a history with you," her mentor replied, running a hand through his beard.

"You make it sound as though we were anything more than acquaintances. He is a distant cousin, and he was Brandon's friend. We had little to do with each other," Nodoka said, waving off his concerns.

"And yet, you've barely changed after all these years. He will recognize you as I did. Red hair is not that common," he replied.

"Perhaps, perhaps…" she sighed, "Why don't we go find that Inn they mentioned? We can find a room and discuss things properly."

"This isn't the place for these discussions," Blackburn agreed. He looked around the are and gestured towards the city wall. "There, where the wall stops just before the river… I do believe there used to be a gate and tower there."

Nodoka followed his finger and grimaced at the open path that circumvented the wall. There were always issues when it came to securing riversides, but the cataclysm or time had clearly claimed the gatehouse that had once allowed access to the Northern Docks. Only a few stacks of broken stone bricks lay to either side of the guarded road that had taken the place of the fortifications.

"There was," she agreed with a grimace. Neverwinter was never an impenetrable fortress, it was a trade city first and foremost after all, but the more she saw of the state of its defences the worse her worries piled on.

"More damage," Formond grumbled, the dwarf running a hand through his beard.

"There's always more," Malleth replied snarkily, "Now, let's find the Tavern and get something to eat."

"It should be…" Blackburn scanned the roads below, "ah, down that road over there." He pointed down the road that led past the castle and bridges and back into the Blacklake district along the wall of the City. "Come along. I'm looking forward to something warm to eat."

Their group hurried down the ramp to the street below. She just barely caught the bridge guards looking over in their direction. Their visit was undoubtedly going to be reported up the chain of command. There couldn't be so many people going up to the castle these days that a group as large as theirs wouldn't be reported to Dagult. The question was whether or not he would have enough information to realize she was in town. Perhaps, just perhaps, her old mentor had been right. Visiting the castle had been a reckless move.

Walking through the much-reduced crowds of Neverwinter was a surreal experience. Guards on either side and her mentor marching ahead, it was almost like being thirteen again. Except for the broken castle, the worn and potholed streets, and the thin scattering of people. It felt like one of those bad dreams she had suffered after the hearing the priest give his prophecy when she was fourteen. Just with less blood and fire.

The road continued past the bridges and came around the castle before splitting in three. One street headed through the broken and missing gatehouse of the Northern Docks. Another followed the wall, and the last headed off into Blacklake. At the split where the road divided between the depths of Blacklake and the perimeter road along the wall a tall three-story building of stone stood.

Built to fit between the two streets, the front of the Driftwood Tavern was narrow, though the structure itself was deep, running as far along either street as three other buildings. Constructed entirely of stone, the facade of the building showed some signs of age, cracks and rough stone scattered across its face. Each window was set into decorative archways and the top floor even had panes of glass in its windows. Through location, scale, and comparative grandeur in a city as ruined as Neverwinter, it was clear that the Driftwood Tavern was more than just any old watering hole or shady pub.

Just looking at it brought back memories of sneaking out of the castle. Now if only she had had the sense to not sneak into the nearest pub and try to buy a drink.

"Ah, here we are," Blackburn said as he waved for them to stop before the Tavern. A few patrons were sitting on the small porch and the hum of conversation floated out of the wide-open windows. "Looks like its survived quite well."

"It's in the shadow of both the walls and the Castle Hill. It probably escaped the worst of the devastation," Formond observed.

"It's built of stone as well. Nice and solid, like the mansions we passed earlier," Malleth said.

"What matters is that it is here. Come, let's get ourselves some rooms," Blackburn said, leading the way into the building.

A few people looked up as they went up the steps and through the front door, but they immediately went back to their meals and conversation partners.

"Oooh," Ranma and Nabiki let out appreciating noises as they entered the Driftwood Tavern. The main room was well decorated in what would have been a rustic fashion back on Earth. Tables made from doors, probably pulled from ruins in the city, were scattered orderly around the deep room; and decorative panes of unbroken stained glass hung with carefully placed candles to cast a colourful atmosphere over the room. In the corner stood a familiar-looking statue of an elven woman holding a pot…

Was that from the candle street fountain? It had to be, she remembered that place quite well.

The walls were decorated with portraits and the crests of noble families from across the city. Decorative nicknacks sat upon shelves alongside old daggers, pieces of pottery, and other artifacts that must have been dug up from throughout the city.

"I'll be with you in a mo'," a stern-looking brunette woman called from behind the bar where she was filling mugs of ale from a large keg.

"Take your time, we can wait," Blackburn called back as he pulled back his hood. He leaned over. "That looks like Rosene. She's aged well."

"I wouldn't know. My father never would have let me come to a place like this," Nodoka replied.

"Like that stopped you," he snorted. Ranma gave him a looked before turning a raised eyebrow to her. Nodoka stifled a sigh. Oh, the questions her daughter was going to ask.

A few minutes passed before, having delivered the ale to an enthusiastic group of dwarves in the far corner, Rosene came over. "So, what can I do for you gentleman, ladies," she gave Nodoka and the rest a look over.

"Coming back after thirty years doesn't even warrant a hello?" Formond huffed, "Thought we left a better impression than that."

Rosene blinked and stared down at the mildly indignant dwarf. "Formond Thunderfist, by Torm is that you?" she asked astounded.

"Alive and eager for a good mug of ale if you still have it, Madame," he boasted, "Surely you recognize my companions?"

Rosene's eyes went wider with what Nodoka took to be disbelief. "By the gods themselves, I'd thought you all died years ago," her whisper barely carrying to the Princess. The Innkeeper reached out and ran a hesitant hand along Blackburn's cheek. "Is that you Kazale?" she asked softly.

He took hold of her wrist gently. "I've not aged that much have I?" he asked with a smile.

"More than she has," Malleth snarked, getting a stern look from the older woman.

"I see your tongue hasn't lost its edge yet, Malleth Everflight," she said with a shake of her head. "Lady Mason, a pleasure." she nodded to the Paladin. Her eyes swept from the armoured members of their group and passed over Ranma and Nabiki with mild curiosity and even a touch of recognition before coming onto Nodoka herself.

The middle-aged Innkeeper froze as her eyes met Nodokas before glancing down at Ranma and back up again. "I-"

"Could offer us rooms for the night, yes," Blackburn said smoothly, patting the back of her hand as he cut her off. "A private room to eat and talk would be appreciated as well."

Rosene cast a surreptitious glance about the room before leaning in. "The discretion of the Driftwood Tavern is at your disposal you reckless fool. Honestly. Give a lady some warning next time you-" she huffed, "This way please." She turned on her heel and strode swiftly towards the hallway leading deeper into the building.

"Gaunt, Moonlighter, I'm taking this lot to a private room. Take care of the main hall," she barked to her employees. She opened a door behind the kitchen and ushered them through and down the stairs. She slipped past them and unlocked the door at the bottom of the stairs.

"This should be more than sufficient to meet your needs Kazale, Princess," she said bowing as she opened the door.

"So you recognized me," Nodoka said as she followed Blackburn into the next room.

"I do, Your Highness," the Innkeeper replied as she stepped aside. The room beyond was nearly the size of the main level with a floor of cracked stone tiles, wooden pillars, a line of boxes along the back wall, and several large tables. One of which was occupied by a grey-haired middle-aged man who stood up as they entered the room.

"Dear, who are they?" he asked, one hand reaching behind his back.

"Peace, husband, peace," Rosene waved him down, "Allow me to introduce Kazale Blackburn, Formond Thunderfist, Lady Emma Mason, and Malleth Everflight."

The man started. "Kazale and- Gods above, I thought you had died," the man roared, laughing as he threw his arms up.

"Conner Butterbeer!" Formond shouted in recognition, "I almost didn't recognize you." The dwarf met the older man halfway and the two shook hands. "You've gotten old boy."

"Most of us have," Rosene's husband replied. "I'm guessing that you heard of the city and decided to come back?"

"We only found out about the city today, Conner," Kazale said, stepping aside to give Conner a clear view. The middle-aged man's eyes went wide and immediately dropped to one knee.

"By Torm's graces, Princess. I- You've returned," he swallowed nervously as he stared at the floor.

"You can rise, Conner Butterbeer," Nodoka said with a wave of one hand.

"Shall I bring food down?" Rosene asked, "On the house of course Your Majesty."

"I would advise against it," Nodoka sighed, shooting her daughter a warning look as she caught the eager gleam in her eyes. "My daughter eats enough for ten at times." Ranma flushed and crossed her arms with a huff.

"It's a perfectly normal amount," the younger redhead grumbled.

"Elsewhere perhaps," she replied with a shake of her head before taking her daughter by the shoulder and steering her towards a table. "Food would be a lovely idea, Madame Rosene. As would news. I'm afraid we know very little about the circumstances in the city right now."

Rosene bowed low. "We are at the crown's service. Conner if you wouldn't mind?"

"I'll fill them in," he promised as the rest of the group started taking seats at the round table Nodoka had picked.

"Thank you. We've got roast lamb and beef stew tonight. Do you have a preference, Your Highness?" Rosene asked.

"Either is fine for me. Ranma?" Nodoka prodded.

"Both?" Ranma asked, smirking as Nodoka sighed. There were times she had to despair at the appetite Ranma had inherited from Genma. Or perhaps it was the cost of using Ki. She was poorly versed in its use, so perhaps… Now that she had magic again perhaps she could try and study it when she had the chance. Which would probably be after they were done dealing with the curse.

"I can do both," Rosene said with a smile, "Everyone else?" Once she had the orders she headed back upstairs. Her husband took a chair across the table from Nodoka.

"I-" he swallowed, tears appearing in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. We… I- No one thought you were still alive or going to return... This-" he shook his head.

"We understand, Conner," Blackburn said, leaning forward. "Until recently we had almost resigned ourselves to the fact that our quest was impossible."

"And I am thankful for your dedication Kazale," Conner said with a watery smile, "To have an Alagondar, a proper Alagondar, back is… It is a dream come true for so many in the city."

Nodoka shifted awkwardly in her seat. She had left to avoid a prophecy, and yet… "I ran off Mr. Butterbeer. I only returned to introduce my daughter Ranma to her cousins and grandfather," she admitted.

"And at the prodding of a rather annoyed Wizard," Blackburn added as he started packing tobacco into his pipe.

"That as well," Nodoka continued, sending her old mentor an annoyed glance. He snorted as he lit the pipe and took a puff.

He breathed out a ring of smoke that floated away across the room. "So, how bad have things gotten? What sort of man has Dagult Neverember become over the last thirty years?" He asked his old friend.

Conner leaned forward against the table, lips pursed in a frown. "Before I begin," he started, "allow me to welcome all of you back, you especially Princess, and allow me to welcome all of you to the meeting hall of the Sons of Alagondar."

Sons of Alagondar? Nodoka frowned. Beside her, Ranma shifted in her seat, sitting straight with her attention on Conner. "Explain," she requested sharply, one hand hovering over a pouch at her waist.

The middle-aged man sighed. "It began shortly after Dagult Neverember proclaimed himself Lord Protector of Neverwinter. He claimed relation to Vers Never a-"

"Bastard son of Lord Nasher Alagondar," cut in Blackburn, "It was a known fact thirty years ago. The Neverembers are cousins, distant in blood, but they were of good relations with House Alagondar."

"He- Then he wasn't lying about that…" Conner muttered.

"Why would he lie?" Nodoka asked.

"It's just…" the middle-aged man frowned before sighing. "The Lord Protector is not well-liked by most of those who stayed behind when the city emptied following the cataclysm, Your Highness. He waited so long before coming in and… His mercenaries are often unforgiving and harsh in enforcing his decrees."

"Mercenaries often are," Formond grumbled.

"It is their nature," Malleth agreed.

Conner ignored them. "Neverember came in and started making changes like we hadn't spent the last several decades hanging onto what little sliver of Neverwinter we could by the thinnest sliver of-" he cut himself off as his voice started spiking and he took a deep breath. "My… My apologies, Your Grace. I- He started talking about what he calls 'New Neverwinter'. He's pushed out locals and installed his own agents. He pushed out most of the garrison on the wall and replaced them with his mercenaries. His tolls and decrees restrict the movement of everyone who isn't one of his thugs and any protest, peaceful or violent, is suppressed with equal brutality."

Nodoka glanced to her side where Ranma was frowning. "Is this the facts, or the opinions of your group Mr. Butterbeer?" she asked pointedly.

"Both, I'm afraid." Everyone looked up as Rosene entered the room. She was shaking her head as she brought a platter of mugs, tankards, three goblets, and a pitcher of wine. "My husband tends to be more passionate than myself," she said as she handed out the drinks.

"Given the state of the city, I would have thought outside interest would be a good thing," Nabiki said as she accepted her goblet of wine.

"It has been good in many ways, yes," Rosene agreed, "the increased trade has made life easier for us and many others. But the Sons were formed because of worries about things other than prosperity. Not long after his arrival the Lord Protector began sidelining locals. It began the very week he arrived with the appointment of Soman Galt to Mayor."

"Four days," Conner said, "that's all the time he took before he made Galt the Mayor."

"Galt?" Formond mused, "I recognize that name…"

"He was a minor functionary before the Cataclysm," Rosene said, "he departed for Waterdeep shortly afterwards and returned with Neverember."

"That hardly seems an approach that would endear the population towards him," Mason said, leaning over her tankard.

"It hasn't. At least, not those of us who never left," Conner said, "He's been pushing native Neverwinters out of their positions and appointing his puppets to positions throughout the city. A lot of us are worried that he's setting the city up to be annexed by Waterdeep."

That was a definite possibility, Nodoka had to admit. If Dagult had become the Open Lord of Waterdeep then his priorities lay with the City of Splendors, not the people of Neverwinter. Of course, that didn't mean he would necessarily oppose her if she made… herself known…

Nodoka leaned back in her chair as the Adventurers and Sons continued to debate. She had come to Neverwinter to visit her family. She had come to see her brothers and sister. To visit her father, or visit his grave. Taking the Crown for herself had never been in the cards. She had a husband and a family back…

She frowned and sipped her wine. It was a fine vintage if a bit drier than she preferred. She looked over at Ranma who was watching the conversation about the events of the past and the possible motives of Dagult with avid attention. She had a husband, but she also had a son, even if that son was now a daughter. Her son... daughter was here and it had been a long time since she had had a husband her mother would have been happy to see her with.

Not that Genma would have ever met her mother's standards, but then she hadn't been looking for a King, she'd been looking for love. She had loved Genma, in fact she still did. The fires may have burned low, but she still loved him. And yet, when was the last time he had acted like her husband? Her honeymoon? The wedding?

The wine burned her throat as she drained the goblet in a single go. As she lowered the goblet Mason raised an eyebrow. She waved the Paladin off. She didn't need spiritual advice quite yet. It was getting there though.

Genma was not someone she would ever trust with Neverwinter, but then he couldn't even come to Faerȗn without turning into a panda. Did they even still count as married anymore? Probably, the gods were like that. The point, however, was that she and Genma hadn't been a family in quite some time and while they had lived together again these past few months the fire that had once burned was… well, it wasn't what it was, was it? He hadn't grown fat, thankfully, but it was like any of the courage that he had once demonstrated had become a fleeting ghost that only returned when he was feeling particularly active.

No, Ranma was her family and she was right here. The engagements with Akane and the rest were an issue to be sure, but… Perhaps this was the sort of question she could ask Ranma.

Neverwinter was her family's home, and it was her duty to pick up the Crown and sit upon the Throne now that it was empty. The City was her duty, and honour demanded that she do everything she could to fulfill it. But…

But…

But…

But…

There weren't really any buts left, were there? Just Genma and Ranma. Her duty was clear, and that meant that Ranma was also…

She sighed, drawing eyes.

"Your Highness?" Madame Rosene asked.

Nodoka frowned down at her goblet. "I think, that I've had enough grim news for the moment," she said, "It has been a long day and I think we can pick this sort of thing up in the morning. After, we spend some time exploring the city properly." She needed to see more. The Protector's Enclave, the rest of Blacklake… possibly even the chasm they saw through in the south-east.

"I'll head up and see if the food is ready, if it pleases you, Your Highness?" Rosene asked.

"It would," she said with a smile, waving the older woman on her way. The conversation tilted away from politics to local gossip, equally as informative in its own way, until the food arrived. The lamb was amazing.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The cool evening breeze ruffled Ranma's hair as she leaned out the window overlooking the street nearest the castle from the second-floor room they had rented. The Innkeeper Rosene had tried to insist on them taking it for free, but Ranma's mother had refused on the grounds of keeping up appearances. Being led to a private room would have drawn attention enough already. Not paying could have drawn more.

Personally, Ranma figured her mother just didn't want to burden the Innkeeper with their stay.

The sun was setting, plunging the streets into darkness even as the last rays of sunlight that slipped over the walls reflected off the broken stone of the castle. It cast the massive structure in shades of gold and orange that blazed in the darkening sky. It was a sight to behold and made Ranma wonder just what the castle had looked like before the cataclysm.

"It used to be more impressive."

Ranma looked over her shoulder at her mother who was sitting by the fireplace of the room they were sharing in an armchair. Her spellbook was sitting open in her lap.

"It's still impressive," she replied, "I don't think castle's back on Earth get so large."

Nodoka shook her head. "They don't. Castle Never includes substantial amounts of magic in its construction. Otherwise, it wouldn't be possible with the materials used."

"Hmm…" Ranma hummed as she looked back out at the street. The crowds, already thin, had faded and only a few people remained. All of them were moving quickly as though they didn't want to stay out at night. Not too surprising. There had been a complete lack of street lamps, which meant plenty of shadows for would-be thieves and muggers to hide in. And a city with so much wrong with it like Neverwinter? It would have a lot of both. Destruction bred desperation, and most of Neverwinter was destroyed.

"I'm going out for a walk," Ranma said, turning away from the window.

"It's getting dark," her mother said warningly, frowning as Ranma pulled a coat out of her bag that was leaning against the end of her bed.

"Which means I'll be able to hop across the rooftops soon," Ranma replied, "If we're staying here I want to get a feel for the city." And see what came out after dark. You could tell a lot about a city from the state of its nightlife.

Nodoka sighed. "I'd ask you to take one of the guards, but they wouldn't be able to keep up with you, would they?" she asked, getting a grin in reply.

"I'll be fine," Ranma said as she flipped her braid back over her shoulder. A flick of her wrist produced a staff from her ki pocket. She tapped it against the floor. "I'll even keep a weapon on hand."

Her mother grumbled, but smiled anyway as she shook her head. "Very well. Just don't stay out too late, and don't leave Blacklake. In fact, avoid the Enclave entirely. I don't want to deal with Dagult until we have a better idea of how he'll react."

"I'll stay out of the Enclave," she replied, slipping her staff back into her ki pocket. She probably wouldn't need it. Not unless there was a lot more wrong with Neverwinter at night then she could imagine.

"And go out the front door. It's not dark enough yet for you to be climbing out of windows," her mother added.

'Sure."

"And let the guards know on your way out."

"I will. Bye mother," she said, waving as she opened the door.

"Stay safe, and don't stay out too long,"

"I will." The door cut off any further admonishments. Honestly, there were times it felt like her mother had forgotten she knew how to look after herself.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Balancing on the top of a dilapidated and unused chimney provided a decent view of the city in the thin moonlight. Even if it was crumbling a bit from her weight. The streets of Blacklake were proving to be something of a maze. Whether designed like that on purpose, or the consequence of centuries of natural development she couldn't say, but it made making a mental map of the district a challenge. Even when she was able to jump from rooftop to rooftop.

She had started on the streets, earning a few odd looks for the way she was dressed. Modern earth coats were apparently rather conspicuous. One of those it should have been obvious, things.

Once the shadows darkened enough, and the people thinned out, she'd jumped to the rooftops. On one hand, it had made traversing the maze of streets much quicker, on the other not many of the buildings were really in good enough condition to walk on. Case in point: the hole five feet from her where she'd plunged into a musky rotting room. Thankfully unoccupied, though what would want to live there she really had to wonder.

This incident had been better than the manor four streets behind her. The roof had dropped her into a room full of rusting swords and suits of armour, a half dozen of the weapons had promptly come to life and tried to impale her. Breaking them had been enough to render them harmless, but not before she'd lost a couple of hairs. She'd made sure to reduce the short sword responsible into as tiny pieces as she could manage.

Committing the layout of the streets around her to memory, she hopped off the chimney and landed lightly on the crossbeam she knew was stable. She jumped to the next roof in a single bound.

A few minutes later she came to a halt on the roof of a house along a barricaded road. This wasn't the first road that was barricaded. All of the ones she had encountered so far were pointed east. At a guess, they were probably the eastern border of Blacklake. Unlike the other roads, this one lacked people manning the barricade. Odd.

She hopped down. The houses around the area were rundown and empty. Clearly this area wasn't populated at the moment. There was a gap in the barricade and a sign… Which she couldn't read. Wonderful. She'd actually managed to forget that she couldn't read or speak the local language thanks to the amulet she was wearing. At a guess, she would have bet that the sign was either a warning about danger or denoting the end of safe territory. Either way, where were the guards? In a city with Orcs and possibly worse you didn't leave the walls unguarded.

A look around turned up nothing. No bodies, no abandoned equipment, nothing. It was possible that there had never been guards, but in that case the wall shouldn't have had a gap in it to begin with.

"BASTARDS!" A cry followed by a shout of pain from behind her caused her to snap around with a frown. Light flashed from around the corner of the road back the way she had come. A second scream of pain caused her to break into a run, bounding to the rooftops in a direct line towards the source of the screaming. Moments later saw her standing on the edge of a roof looking down on a bloody scene.

Poor lighting was no issue. A young woman with black hair and bronze skin in white robes was brandishing a glowing sword with her back to a stone wall. Her other hand was glowing as she held it against her side. Blood appeared to be spreading through the white fabric. The light from the sword washed over the entire street pushing back the darkness and giving Ranma a clear view of her attackers.

There were a half dozen large bulky orcs encircling her warily. Two more of their number were on the ground, only one of them was still moving. One of them lunged at her with a spear. The young woman hastily deflected the stab and abandoned her injury as she punched the orc in the face. It reeled away as a pair of orcs leapt towards her.

"OGHMA, GRANT ME AID!" she shouted and Ranma stared as a translucent mace appeared by her side, floating in mid-air. It caught the axe of one orc as she locked blades with the other. The one she had punched shook its head and went to lunge again. That was when Ranma decided she had watched enough.

"Enough of that." The orc didn't have time to react as she landed on its head, her foot catching its neck as she rode the body to the ground. She winced at the wet snap of its neck. Even as the combatants were turning to look at her she flipped off the body and kicked the next orc in the circle in the chest. It flew down the street and rolled to a stop, unmoving.

The next orc in line screamed a warcry and swung its axe at her. She sidestepped the overhead chop and snapped the wrist holding the weapon before tossing it into the orc into a crumbling stone wall. The orc disappeared into the black depths of the house.

The woman took advantage of her opponent's distraction and cut the orcs head straight off even as her spectral mace caved in the orc's head. The last orc promptly dropped his weapon and booked it down the street. Right in the direction of the barricade. Ranma let it go. She wasn't here for it.

"Hey, you alright?" she asked as the woman slumped against the wall. Her spectral mace disappeared with a flicker.

"I'm fine," she said with a grimace as she applied a newly glowing hand to her side, "Just- a slash from when the bastards jumped me. Thanks by the way. That was getting a bit too hairy for me."

"No problem. Do you need a hand?" Ranma asked as the woman pulled herself upright.

She waved her off. "Nothing to worry about, like I said," she said, removing a hand from her side with a sigh. "There we go. All better."

Ranma blinked. "Magic?" she asked.

"A gift from Oghma," she replied with a smile. She extended a hand. "Abigail Candlerow, Cleric of Oghma at your service."

Ranma shook it. "Ranma Saotome, martial artist," she replied with her own smile.

"Martial artist? So that's why it started raining people. I didn't think that was normal around here," Abigail said with a grin and a wave at the bodies on the floor.

"I wouldn't know. I'm not from around here," she replied with a shrug.

"Well, thank you for your help. That was…" the older woman sighed, "I lost track of time. These bastards wouldn't have dared try if I'd been through here during daylight."

"That last one looked like he was headed for the barricade over there. The empty one," Ranma jabbed a thumb in the direction of the barricade.

"The- bastards. Lazy Mintarn-" Abigail grit her teeth and let out an explosive sigh. "Sorry, I'd heard rumours that they didn't man every barricade at night, but I didn't want to believe it."

Ranma grimaced. "Well, they didn't tonight." And the why was a question she would have liked answered properly. Did they lack the people to take care of everything?

The cleric looked around again and sighed. "We may want to get out of here though before that bastard comes back with reinforcements. Without anyone on that gate, this area is too dangerous to stay in."

"Where are you headed?" Ranma asked.

"This way for now," Abigail said, walking down the street towards the bridges. "The House of Knowledge ultimately. A bit of a walk, but I'll be fine."

Ranma followed her. "Where is that?" she asked. The cleric gave her an amused glance.

"By the wall," she replied and giggled at the blank look Ranma sent her way. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

"That's what I said," she sighed as Abigail giggled.

"I see, I see," she nodded wisely, "And what would someone new be doing climbing around on the roofs, hmm?" She lifted her sword so that the light coming from it was carried behind her as she glanced backwards. Ranma mimicked her. The street was empty and the last of the bodies were disappearing around the corner. Her stomach churned a little at the thought. She hadn't meant to kill the first one, and she was fairly sure the rest weren't going to survive much longer either if they hadn't died to her strikes. Orcs were fragile it seemed.

"Exploring," she said, turning away from the sight behind them. At the raised eyebrow she received she elaborated, "You can get a better view from up there, plus you can go straight and avoid this rat maze."

Abigail looked up, glanced left then right, and looked back at Ranma. "What?" the redhead asked.

"... Either you're a bold-faced liar or the most athletic person I've ever heard of," Abigail deadpanned.

Ranma scoffed. Why did everyone seem to think that jumping a forty-foot gap was impressive? It was basic. "I'm a martial artist. This is nothing," she said.

"Oh really?" Her conversation partner asked as they turned a corner. They passed a house with a light in its upper windows.

Ranma nodded. Abigail hummed. "Interesting. I'd love to ask you a few questions about that if you don't mind?"

She shrugged. "Where's the House of Knowledge again?"

"Oh, in the east end of the Protector's Enclave, on the north-end of the wall." The enclave… Where her mother didn't want her to go. Joy. Still...

"Why don't you walk me home and I'll answer some of your questions on the way as well?" the cleric offered as Ranma nibbled her lip in thought.

"Sounds good to me," Ranma said, folding her arms behind her head as they walked. Maybe her mother wouldn't be annoyed if she came back with information?

"So, martial artist, what is that exactly?" Abigail began as they walked. It was a very long walk, but she did get answers to a number of questions. Like what the wall she had been talking about was, and why it was needed. Some of the groups in the city and even about who Oghma was.

He was the God of Knowledge as it turned out. "He sent me here to restore his temple," Abigail said as they walked through the streets of the Protector's Enclave. The roads were nicely paved and the houses and shops were universally in good condition, though a few were still showing patched roofs.

"Sent you?" Ranma asked curiously. That was twice now that someone she had spoken to had said that their gods spoke to them.

"I was sent dreams," the cleric replied, "His light burned away my nightmares and showed me a vast library. I spent nights running through the stacks, never finding the ends of the and all the while I heard the distinctive workings of a waterclock the entire time."

"And that brought you… here?" Ranma asked, disbelieving. What did a waterclock even sound like? The cleric shrugged.

"Neverwinter was once famous for its waterclocks. Their accuracy and precision was so great that people used to swear 'By the Clocks of Neverwinter'. I came to the conclusion that it had to be in Neverwinter that I was needed," Abigail said with conviction.

What was it with people around here and their faith in gods?

"And here we are," the cleric said as they turned the corner and they entered a square before a tall six and a half story stone temple. Statues of men in robes who were holding scrolls stood to either side of the main entrance, each one at least twenty feet tall. Bisecting the eastern side of the square, and continuing past the temple, was a tall wall along which torch-carrying mercenaries patrolled.

"That's a big temple," Ranma said.

"You haven't seen the Hall of Justice yet, have you?" Abigail chuckled, "But yes, The House of Knowledge is the second-largest temple in the city and my current residence."

"Just you?" Ranma asked. The older young woman shook her head.

"No. There are refugees who have taken on some of the maintenance duties. I've preached to them once or twice over the last few months, but few seem interested in becoming priests," Abigail sighed, "For now it's just me, though…"

"Though?"

She shrugged, "There are rumours that someone is living down in the lower levels, but I haven't had time to investigate and everyone else who heads down hasn't come back…"

"Excuse me?" Hadn't come back? "And you live in this place?" she asked aghast.

"There are traps protecting the lower vaults, and we have seen a few from the steps," Abigail sighed, "We're safe upstairs. So don't worry about it. Anyway, this is where we part ways Ranma, it's been a fun evening. Thank you for your help earlier."

Ranma grinned. "No problem." The conversation had been nice, and the information was probably worth the walk through Protector's Enclave.

"So, if I needed to contact you again for some reason, where would I go?" she asked.

Ranma tilted her head as she thought. "Ask Madame Rosene at the Driftwood Tavern," she said after a moment.

"Foreign, and apparently moderately off," Abigail observed with a grin, "The Driftwood is expensive."

"We're… friends," she deflected.

"Uhuh, well enjoy the walk back Ranma, good night," Abigail said, heading for the temple.

"Good night," Ranma replied with a little wave before turning and hopping up to the rooftop of a nearby building. She turned and looked back and caught Abigail staring up at her. She grinned and waved again before bounding off across the rooftops.

Five minutes later she crossed the river with a single jump and landed lightly in the shadows. She waited a moment before walking the rest of the way to the Driftwood Tavern. They didn't seem to notice her.

The Tavern was down to its last few patrons as she entered.

"Have a good walk Ranma?" Madame Rosene asked as she headed for the stairs.

"It was refreshing," she called back, prompting one passed out man in the corner to slide off his table and out of his seat. He hit the ground with a thump and kept snoring without a break. Madame Rosene sighed and set her mug down.

"Every week Earl," she muttered loud enough for Ranma to hear as she hurried up the stairs. Formond nodded at her from where he was sitting in the corner of the second-floor landing on a cushion.

"Welcome back Lass," he greeted, "Your mother was about to get worried."

Ranma winced. "Oh. Well, good night Formond," she said, waving to him as she popped open the door of the room she was sharing with her mother. They had four rooms. Nabiki and Mason were sharing, as were Formond and Malleth. In order to keep up their cover, Blackburn had taken the largest room for himself.

Her mother looked up as the door opened. She smiled in relief as Ranma shut the door. "You're back. I was getting worried," she said.

"I wound up walking someone home after a few orcs jumped them," Ranma said, taking off her coat.

"Orcs?" Nodoka scowled, "Where was this?"

"On the eastside of Blacklake. They have barricades up, but one of them was unmanned for some reason tonight," she replied as she sat down on her bed.

"So you saved them and walked them home?"

"Yep," Ranma yawned and fell back on the bed, sinking into the soft mattress. It wasn't often she slept on a western-style bed, though it seemed the norm around here.

"Good. Where were they from?" her mother asked.

"The House of Knowledge," Ranma replied, before going still in realization.

"... The House of Knowledge which is on the other side of the river?" Her mother asked dangerously.

"... Yes?" She had made a mistake.

"In the Protector's Enclave?"

"Yes...?" She was doomed.

Her mother closed her spellbook and stood up. "I think we need to have a little talk about restrictions."

This was going to take some time to explain. A glance at her mother's face had her amend that thought. A lot of time, and some really fast-talking.

-0-0-0-0-0-

A/N: And Done~ Chapter Three of Crown of Neverwinter. Whoo~ Over 14k words~ *Happy Kitsune*

Hope everyone enjoys it~ I quite enjoyed writing this chapter. If anyone is curious, and hasn't picked up on the time period this is set in, the year is 1479 DR. The month is April. Yes, that means I'm using the 4th edition sourcebook for Neverwinter. Anyone familiar with that book should know what kind of chaos is lurking beneath the surface~

Discord and links in the signature, and thank you to my patrons~ I'll see about getting some art put together of the OCs like Blackburn and others. Perhaps a poll to decide which one? Hrm… *Thinking Kitsune* Would need a good artist, though I can name a few who would work. Food for thought I guess~

edit: Ello~ Here's the two days and some edits later release for . Enjoy~


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